Local faces lead Birmingham Squadron into inaugural season
Jared Harper and John Petty Jr., players many fans in the state of Alabama are familiar with, are ready to take on the new basketball season as part of the Birmingham Squadron, the newest NBA G-League team.
Harper, a member of Auburn’s 2019 Final Four, and Petty, a recent Crimson Tide star, begin this year on the Squadron, an affiliate of the NBA’s New Orleans Pelicans. Both are looking to perform well and establish careers in the NBA.
“I want to get the call-up,” Petty said. “I want to get an NBA contract, but I also want to still be labeled as a winner. Last season in college, we won a lot and I want to bring that same mentality and focus to this team so we can win.”
Petty said his last two years with Alabama coach Nate Oats prepared him for playing as a part of a G-League team.
“It prepared me for what I was coming into because mostly everything is the same,” Petty said. “There are different things but the majority of the things are the same. I think Coach Oats did a good job of preparing me and getting me ready for this.”
Harper said he’s excited for the upcoming season. He plans to do his best every day in every situation and is hopeful to get a call-up from an NBA team by the end of the season.
The Squadron will play in the newly-renovated Legacy Arena, which is operated by the BJCC Authority. The team spent the first month of the season on the road before its first home game, slated for Dec. 5 against the Mexico City Capitanes.
“We want to spread the Pelicans’ brand not only in Louisiana, but in Alabama, as well as across the entire region,” New Orleans general manager Trajan Langdon said in a release from the Squadron. “We think Birmingham and Legacy Arena are going to be a great home for us and a place our players and staff will really enjoy. We expect games to have great crowds that will rally behind us.”
“We’re thrilled to have the Pelicans coming to Birmingham,” said Mayor Randall Woodfin in a statement. “We have worked hard to make sure we have the right assets in place so that we’re ready when opportunities come along to make our community an even better place to live. This is good for our residents, it’s good for our economy and it’s a great day for Birmingham.”
The Squadron will have 24 home games this season, which runs through early April. Tickets can be purchased online at birmingham.gleague.nba.com or by calling 205-719-0850.