Age: 31
NBA experience: Nine seasons (three with Pelicans)
Games played/games started: 61/0
Key stats: 5.7 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 1.0 spg, 57.3 FG percentage
Pelicans center Larry Nance Jr.’s 2023-24 NBA season overview
Apropos for a nine-year pro who was among a dozen finalists for the NBA’s Teammate of the Year award, Nance spent his entire April 30 exit interview speaking about other Pelicans players, instead of his own game. “Huge leaps and bounds from various guys on the team,” Nance said, when asked to list some of the best aspects of New Orleans’ campaign. “Herb (Jones), Trey (Murphy), Naji (Marshall), Jose (Alvarado), guys making huge jumps (improvements). It was really cool to see that.”
The Pelicans again upped their win total from the previous season under Willie Green, with their second-unit center figuring prominently in that success, particularly after a start that was hampered by injuries, both for Nance and the team overall. It wasn’t until a Dec. 28 return to the court that Nance began to look like himself physically following an ankle injury, but New Orleans immediately won six of its next seven games. During the second half of the season, Nance often started second halves of games, with the Pelicans going 13-3 when he logged at least 23:00 of playing time. Twelve of those wins occurred between Dec. 28 and April 7. The team’s 49 regular season victories were the most for a Nance team since his 2017-18 Cleveland squad (50-32) that reached the NBA Finals, before losing to a historically great Golden State club led by Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant.
Larry Nance Jr. Top Plays | 2023‑24 NBA Season Highlights
Larry Nance Jr.'s Pelicans Podcast recap
Pelicans team reporter Erin Summers recaps New Orleans Pelicans forward/center Larry Nance Jr.'s 2023-24 NBA season.
Larry Nance Jr.'s per-game stats from the 2023-24 NBA season
| GP | GS | MIN | FG% | 3P% | FT% | REB | AST | STL | BLK | PTS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Larry Nance Jr. | 61 | 0 | 19.9 | 57.3% | 41.5% | 77% | 5 | 1.9 | 1 | 0.3 | 5.7 |
Photos: Larry Nance Jr. 2023‑24 Season in Review
1 / 25NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - APRIL 27: Larry Nance Jr. #22 of the New Orleans Pelicans shoots over Chet Holmgren #7 of the Oklahoma City Thunder during the first quarter of Game Three in the first round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs at Smoothie King Center on April 27, 2024 in New Orleans, Louisiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)
Larry Nance Jr. by the numbers
41.5
Three-point percentage, a career high, albeit on relatively modest volume (he was 27 of 65). Over the last two seasons, Nance has evolved into a willing corner three-point shooter, with over half of his attempts coming from there (that had never been more than a 31 percent share in any of his previous NBA seasons, via Basketball Reference).
77.0
Free throw percentage, also a career high. Nance connected on 47 of 61 attempts from the charity stripe, bringing him close to league average (78.4). He shot between 65 and 69 percent on foul shots during his previous Lakers, Cleveland and Portland tenures.
13-3
New Orleans record when Nance grabbed at least seven rebounds. They were 12-5 when he blocked at least one shot.
Larry Nance Jr.’s three most notable games
#1, April 19, New Orleans 105, Sacramento 98
In a do-or-die play-in tournament game, Pelicans reserves flourished, led by Nance’s all-around excellence. He posted 13 points on 6/7 shooting, adding four rebounds, three assists and two steals. Nance played in three of the six victories over the Kings.
Larry Nance Jr. talks bench unit, returning to playoffs | Pelicans-Kings Play-In Postgame 4/19/2024
New Orleans Pelicans vs. Sacramento Kings NBA Western Conference Play-In Tournament postgame interviews with forward/center Larry Nance Jr. after the Pelicans' 105-98 win over the Kings on Friday, April 19 during the 2023-24 NBA season.
#2, Jan. 13, New Orleans 118, Dallas 108
Nance helped the extremely shorthanded Pelicans stun the Mavericks by scoring a season-high 14 points (he had 14 again at Dallas two days later). He was 4/4 from the field and 6/6 at the foul line, while notching a plus-14 in 20 minutes.
Jose Alvarado hits back-to-back 3s, finds Nance on alley-oop | Pelicans at Mavericks Highlights 1/13/2024
Guard Jose Alvarado hits two back-to-back three-point field goals and then finds forward Larry Nance Jr. during the New Orleans Pelicans game against the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday, Jan. 13 in American Airlines Center.
#3, Dec. 31, New Orleans 129, LA Lakers 109
One of Nance’s two double-doubles this season (the other was March 19 at Brooklyn), he helped ruin the Lake Show’s New Year’s Eve. He compiled 11 points and 10 rebounds, tying fellow ex-Laker Brandon Ingram with a team-high plus-17 in 23 minutes.
Larry Nance Jr.’s player participation report
He played the first 10 games of the regular season but didn’t look 100 percent physically, trying to push through injuries. After separate DNP stretches of four and 13 games in November and December, Nance appeared in 47 of the final 51 regular season contests, as well as all six postseason tilts. He had two spans of playing 17 consecutive games (New Orleans went 10-7 and 12-5 during those).