For the third time in four years, the New Orleans Pelicans’ NBA preseason schedule will include a game in Birmingham.

The Pelicans will play the Houston Rockets on Oct. 14 at Legacy Arena at the BJCC. The tipoff time has not been announced. The arena is the home court for New Orleans’ affiliate in the NBA Gatorade League, the Birmingham Squadron.

“We are ecstatic to welcome the New Orleans Pelicans and NBA basketball back to Birmingham,” Birmingham Squadron general manager Leslie Claybrook said in a release from the team. “The excitement and energy our city brought to the last two preseason NBA contests at Legacy Arena at the BJCC was unmatched, and we look forward to this game providing momentum for the Squadron as we enter our fifth season.”

The Pelicans played preseason games against the Atlanta Hawks in 2022 and Houston in 2023 in Birmingham.

New Orleans features former Hale County High School and Alabama standout Herb Jones, and former Auburn star Jabari Smith Jr. plays for the Rockets.

The Pelicans’ preseason schedule does not include a game in New Orleans. The Pelicans play National Basketball League teams Melbourne United on Oct. 3 and South East Melbourne Phoenix on Oct. 4 at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, Australia, before coming to Birmingham, and New Orleans faces the Orlando Magic in Orlando on Oct. 16 after visiting Alabama.

Season-ticket plans for the Squadron’s 2025-26 season are on sale now. Birmingham season-ticket holders will receive complimentary tickets for the preseason game between the Pelicans and Rockets in their season-ticket seat location. They also will be able to purchase additional tickets for the preseason game at a special season ticket-holder rate.

Tickets for season-ticket holders and partners go on sale at noon CST Tuesday. Individual tickets and tickets for groups of 10 or more for the Rockets-Pelicans game will go on sale at noon Wednesday.

Tickets are available through the Squadron’s ticket office and Ticketmaster. Interested fans can visit the ticketing website or call the Squadron’s ticket office at (205)719-0850.

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X at @AMarkG1.