Scott Ferrell

sferrell@shreveporttimes.com

Shreveport is one of six sites with an affirmative response to the New Orleans Pelicans’ Request for Proposal for the NBA Development League.

The Pelicans sent the RFP to 11 cities in four states (Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida) in late March. On Tuesday, the team announced six sites had returned affirmative responses. Those finalists also include Baton Rouge; Jackson, Mississippi; Mobile, Alabama; Pensacola, Florida and St. Tammany Parish in addition to Shreveport.

Shreveport and the other five sites have until June 7 to submit a complete and comprehensive proposal to the Pelicans.

“We are excited to see the excitement which this process has generated among the six locations,’’ Pelicans owner Tom Benson said in a statement. “All of them have stepped forward

with legitimate and sincere interest and are going to make a case via their proposals for why they would like to be the home of our NBA G (Gatorade) League team in 2018-19.

“The process is underway and we know this will be a very significant addition for a city/parish near us as it will add global exposure and bring professional basketball to their town.’’

The team will be owned and operated by Benson and will be a direct, one-to-one affiliate of the Pelicans.

The Pelicans have some connections to the area. They have played two preseason basketball games at the CenturyLink Center in recent years against the Dallas Mavericks.

Shreveport also has a history with minor league basketball. The city was home to the Continental Basketball Association’s Shreveport Crawdads and Shreveport Storm from 1994-96.