Sports bring people together. No matter where you grew up or who you are, you can mesh with fellow fans. Cities often take the identity of their professional sports teams. Louisiana is noteworthy because it provides professional sports teams for Arkansas, Alabama, and Mississippi to cheer for. There are also many different colleges and universities throughout Louisiana.
Colleges are special because they provide a more personal connection to each team. While professional teams represent where you’re from, colleges showcase where you went to school and spent your time. As a student, you might’ve even known some athletes who took the field each game day. Click here to read more about the 10 biggest musicians to come from Louisiana.
Those who live in Louisiana are proud of their home and the teams that represent it. For this article, 24/7 Tempo consulted different outside sources. These include NFL.com, NBA.com, and NCAA.com. Let’s take a look at the most popular teams in Louisiana.
New Orleans Saints
There aren’t many teams that have helped their city the way the New Orleans Saints did. New Orleans was destroyed in 2005 by Hurricane Katrina. As of 2024, there are still things that haven’t fully gotten back to what it once was prior to the hurricane. The Saints provided a distraction while the city was coming back.
During the 2009 season, the Saints had one of their best as a team, and advanced to the Super Bowl to face the heavily favored Indianapolis Colts. The Saints would come out victorious and was an exclamation point in telling the world New Orleans was fully back. The Saints are still known as one of the best in the NFL, thanks to players like Alvin Kamara.
New Orleans Pelicans
Even though football is king in the south, the people of Louisiana love the Pelicans. The team had to relocate after Katrina, making locals appreciate them so much more when they came back. The Pelicans are still in search of their first championship, but they’ve proven over the years they’re able to find and develop talent.
Anthony Davis was one of the main pieces that’s helped the Pelicans become who they are, even though he left. Thanks to his trade, the Pelicans got Brandon Ingram, one of the cornerstones of their franchise. All they need is for Zion Williamson to stay healthy, and the Pelicans will be a team to be reckoned with for a long time.
Louisiana State Tigers Football
LSU (Louisiana State) has a rich football tradition and has been one of the most dominant teams over the last 25 years. They’ve won three national championships and have had two Heisman Trophy winners during that time. Joe Burrow, one of the greatest college athletes of all time, led LSU to their most recent championship in 2019.
LSU plays in the best college football conference in the world, which makes it understandable that they’d need a stadium to hold over 100,000 people. Saturdays in Baton Rouge are reserved for football and nothing else.
Louisiana State Lady Tigers Women’s Basketball
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - NOVEMBER 06: Angel Reese #10 of the LSU Lady Tigers waits for a free throw attempt in the first half of a game against the Colorado Buffaloes during the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Series at T-Mobile Arena on November 06, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Buffaloes defeated the Lady Tigers 92-78. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Women’s basketball has started to explode in popularity. Players like Angel Reese are a huge part of this. She has proven to be one of the most dominant players in the nation and now has generated a huge social media following. In the 2022-2023 season, LSU established themselves as an outstanding program.
This was shown during the tournament where they had control of every game. Players like Angel Reese are vital for the growth of basketball and just in general for girls all around the world. Even after she leaves for the WNBA, Reese will always be tied to LSU and will be thought of as such an important cultural figure.
Louisiana State Tigers Men’s Basketball
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 28: Kyle Cuffe Jr. #0 of the Syracuse Orange guards Carlos Stewart #1 of the LSU Tigers as he drives to the basket during the first half at JMA Wireless Dome on November 28, 2023 in Syracuse, New York. (Photo by Bryan M. Bennett/Getty Images)
Those who like college sports know how great the LSU men’s basketball team has been in producing professional players. Before players like Nikola Jokic, Pete Maravich pioneered the game with some of the flashiest passes you’ve ever seen in your life. Maravich played his college ball at LSU, as did Shaquille O’Neal, arguably the greatest center in the history of the NBA.
One of the most intriguing players in the NBA today is Ben Simmons, another LSU Tiger. He’s been considered a bust due to his lack of play and sometimes questionable motivation. Fans are hoping to see Simmons on the court full time sooner rather than later, thanks to many flashes he’s shown early in his career. Click here to read more about the 10 biggest movie stars from Louisiana.