The New Orleans Pelicans have had a tough season and continue to stumble in the standings, but they look forward to the return of guard Dejounte Murray.
On January 31, 2025, Dejounte Murray suffered a torn right Achilles tendon in the Pelicans' game against the Boston Celtics. Murray played only eight minutes and nine seconds before suffering an injury.
After missing 13 months due to an Achilles injury and working hard to return, the Pelicans guard made his season debut and return from injury on Tuesday night when the Pelicans hosted the Golden State Warriors inside the Smoothie King Center.
In a tremendous show of respect, the Pelicans reorganized their starting lineup and named Dejounte Murray at the last spot in the group while the crowd cheered him on.
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On the first play of the game, center DeAndre Jordan found Murray cutting to the left corner with a bounce pass. Murray made an acrobatic reverse layup, giving him his first basket back since the injury.
Dejounte Murray goes backdoor for his first bucket in his comeback
This is their first game after January 31, 2025!
- ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) 25 February 2026
Dejounte Murray played five minutes in his first period and ended the game to a loud ovation from the Pelicans fans. Murray finished with four points on 2-of-3 shooting from the field.
Murray had been growing rapidly over the past few weeks, but only six months after Achilles surgery did he regain some of his athletic ability. The Pelicans guard actually posted a video of himself throwing down a reverse dunk with relative ease six months into his recovery.
6 months and it feels lighter!!! 😁 I'll see you all again soon!!! 😤😈 #dm5🖤 pic.twitter.com/PuThC0u386
- Dejounte Murray (@DejounteMurray) 20 August 2025
Since becoming a full-time starter in the 2020 season, Dejounte Murray has averaged 18.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, 6.4 assists and 1.7 steals per game while shooting 45.5 percent from the field. If Murray can get back to form quickly, this could either make for an interesting part of the Pelicans' rebuild or a great trade piece for a team lacking an athletic, do-everything guard.
