Pelicans name Cash to key front-office role

Former WNBA star Swin Cash will assume a prominent role in the front office of the New Orleans Pelicans. Cash was named vice president of basketball operations and team development. Her duties will include scouting, as well as developing players on and off the court.

"I am so excited to join the New Orleans Pelicans ...," Cash said in a statement. "... I will use my experience as a professional athlete in the WNBA, vice president of the WNBPA, businesswoman and philanthropist, along with the knowledge I've gained as a front office executive, to cultivate the organization's basketball culture on the court and in the community." David Griffin, the Pelicans' newly hired executive president of basketball operations, is continuing to fill out the front office to guide the team through a critical offseason. The Pelicans have the No. 1 selection in the June 20 NBA draft and also must come up with a plan either to make disgruntled All-Star forward Anthony Davis happy or trade him.

"We are beyond thrilled to welcome Swin Cash and her family to the New Orleans Pelicans," Griffin said. "Her legendary experience as a player, champion and winner at every level, on and off the floor, represents everything we want this organization to be about." Griffin already had hired ex-NBA player Trajan Langdon to serve as general manager, as well as Aaron Nelson as vice president of player care and performance. Nelson formerly was head trainer with the Phoenix Suns.

The 30-year-old Cash played collegiately at Connecticut, where she won two national titles. She spent 15 seasons in the WNBA, winning three championships, and was a four-time All-Star. She also was a member of two gold-medal Olympic teams. In 2017, the New York Liberty hired Cash as director of franchise development.