Zion Williamson is a New Orleans Pelican, and frankly he's getting tired of everyone asking him if he's happy about that.
Speaking at Pelicans media day this week, he reaffirmed that New Orleans is where he wants to be, and this offseason has featured him spending more time in the city working with trainers and the team as he readies for his 5th NBA season.
“It’s home," Williamson said. "New Orleans is home for me. It’s a little upsetting that I have to sit up here all the time and tell people this is home for me. This is where I want to be.”
The star forward has never requested a trade, but he has been the topic of such rumors since he landed with the Pelicans as the No. overall pick in 2019. He signed a 5-year, $197 million extension prior to the 2022 season, and played well enough through 29 games to be named an All-Star starter for the first time with per game averages of 26 points, 7 rebounds and 4.6 assists. The problem is he didn't play in the game due to a hamstring injury, and he also never got back on the floor with the Pelicans even as they battled down the stretch of the season and fell to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round of the NBA's play-in tournament.
Williamson kept it simple when asked to reiterate what kept him off the floor at that point: "I just wasn't ready."
This time around he says he's ready for the long haul. He's in a good mental space and he's eagerly awaiting the birth of his daughter, due in November. He says he's also worked with the Pelicans on "locking in every aspect of his body," something fans will hope leads to improved durability throughout the season.
Williamson has only played in more than 29 games once in his NBA career, with the exception coming in the COVID-affected 2020-'21 season. He missed the entirety of the 2021-'22 season with a foot injury, and the hamstring injury shortened his campaign last year. The injury issues have been with him since he entered the league and underwent meniscus surgery prior to the start of his rookie season.
When he has played, he's been the exact type of superstar the Pelicans expected with career averages of 25.8 points on 60% shooting, 7 rebounds and 3.6 assists. Paired with Brandon Ingram, CJ McCollum and a host of young ascending players, the Pelicans are positioned as one of the NBA's rising teams. It's just a matter of seeing it happen on a consistent basis.
“I think the best is still yet to come. … We made a lot of changes," Williamson said, "and you’ll see when the season starts.”
