For those people that think that I just want to sit on the sideline just to sit over there, I dont know why people think that. And then I didnt. And the criticism had turned nastier, falling on the shoulders of his mom, his stepdad and his brother, Noah, who was just 8 at the time. I need to show the world who Zion is, he says. He missed all of his third season because of a broken right foot and played in just 29 games during the 2022-23 regular season. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy, are reportedly open to trading star Zion Williamson. See terms at draftkings.com/sportsbook. Zion Williamsons off-court drama isnt slowing down. Now its just a matter of when I feel like Zion. I said this in my interview with (Pelicans TV) Antonio (Daniels). For example, the weight gain seem unlikely to be tied to how family members feel about Williamson's future with the team. NBA.com is part of Warner Media, LLCs Turner Sports & Entertainment Digital Network, *Translations are limited to select pages, Zion, Pelicans aim to end 'negative' narratives, Zion makes NBA history in first 50 career games, Pelicans' Zion Williamson is ready for the NBA's season restart, Q&A: Valanciunas on expanding his game & more, Learn Fresh, NBA Math Hoops attend 2023 Draft, Blazers name G League affiliate team 'Rip City Remix', 3 Jr. NBA alumni become 1st from program to enter NBA, Ignite makes presence known in 2023 NBA Draft, Reports: Hawks trade big man Collins to Jazz. In Williamsons case, that rule of thumb clearly applies in a different waywe arent talking about a slow-but-strong rookie with a less-advanced handle whos going to have an easier time getting into the paint. I think who the Hornets want from what I heard was Brandon Ingram.. After a home game one night, as he walked out of the Smoothie King Center, he ran into Pelicans assistant coach Teresa Weatherspoon, a close friend and confidant. Thats before they decide if they want to pay Ball and Hart. Its a whole different thing seeing his approach translate against NBA bodies. He can handle the ball and run the floor like a guard or wing player, soar to the hoop for rim-rattling dunks and muscle his way into shooting positions from the post often hitting off-balance, short-range shots between multiple defenders. We've received your submission. I think hes at that stage now where hes taking responsibility for his actions. All of which echoes what Weatherspoon herself conveyed to Williamson: The change has to come, and the change has to come from him. My first two years, it was a good locker room. You have to make deposits. Whats for certain is that Williamson is something weve never seen before, and while some teams may be afraid to take the chance, others will see enormous potential. They aint ready for you!. Hes training underwater! a young boy responds excitedly. When projecting the merits of any prospect, I generally try to avoid the rationale that a player is going to be more effective with the benefit of NBA spacing. Hopefully you have a bunch of time on your hands because there are a lot of them to go through. On Friday, Pelicans Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations David Griffin said Williamson would not likely be ready to play until some time during the first round of the playoffs at the earliest and theres no guarantee New Orleans will make it that far. Williamson has particularly vouched for Ball as a long-term piece. We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. First and foremost, it's crucial for the future relationship between Williamson and the Pelicans that the organization looks at each aforementioned hurdle individually. He hustles his tail off and he's unafraid to toe the line between determined and dirty on the defensive . Associate Editor at BroBible covering all five major sports and every niche sport imaginable . How will Chris Paul fit with the Warriors? This Zion Williamson is noticeably more contoured than the Zion Williamson who last appeared on an NBA court on May 4, 2021. And the locker room. . You didnt want to lose a young man.. The physical recovery was hard enough. Except, he has played just 85 games over three seasons due to injuries. All those worries about Williamsons fitness, his maturity, his commitment? When I reaggravated it back in February, it was tough. Zion isnt committed to New Orleans. The great Tom Ziller once wrote we should kill the NBA draft, and that argument is sounding more convincing by the day. He is not an outstanding jump shooter, but his release isnt broken, and he may be too explosive for defenders to gain much by sagging off. Six years ago, a 16-year-old Zion Williamson tweeted a six-word vowIm going to shock the worlda sentiment that suddenly seems apt for 22-year-old Zion Williamson, in a way he never could have envisioned. Zion is detached from his teammates. Its why his skill set is already translating so cleanly, and why hes so easy to integrate into a team. 1 pick with the charisma to match his talent. 21+ (18+ NH/WY). It was January, and Williamson had decided to continue his rehab at Nikes bucolic campus just outside Portland, in Beaverton, Ore. Im going to post everything this is the last time you betray me Z the sex tapes.. Theyre going to see that Ive matured off the court and on the court, Williamson, now 22, says, following a late breakfast at a 6,000-square-foot waterfront rental in Fort Lauderdale. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images), The Pro Sports Venues Under Construction, With More On Horizon, Womens World Cup Opener Will Be 80,000 Fans Deep As Match Sells Out 25 Days Before Kickoff, FC Barcelona Midfielder Set To Receive Irresistible Offer From Saudi Arabia: Reports, AEW Collision Ratings See Massive Drop In Week 2, Derek Carr Excited To Join New Orleans Saints Winning Culture, USFs On-Campus Stadium Would Benefit Womens Lacrosse Program, An Extension For Tyrese Haliburton Is The Most Important Part Of Indiana Pacers Offseason, Green Bay Packers Positional Battles: The Door Is Open For Rookie Colby Wooden, While Williamson has shown a level of affinity for other franchises. No young superstar has ever passed on that type of contract extension, and it seems unlikely that Williamson would given his injury history. All the talk about Jrue Holiday anchoring the team does hold weight, and a career year could be in store for him. Then he scored 77 points on 80% shooting over the course of three preseason games, leading the Pelicans to an undefeated mark in contests that are meaningless, yet somehow still relevant. This could happen for a several reasons, including no shared cipher suites. New Orleans enters next season with real potential, but also questions Zion, McCollum, and Brandon Ingram all are players who work best with the ball in their hands, how is that balanced? If you buy something from an SB Nation link, Vox Media may earn a commission. There are basic basketball challenges to sort out now with Williamson joining McCollum and Ingramabout roles and playmaking and pecking orders, about touches and usage ratebut chemistry comes only through time, and the Pelicans seem confident about the road ahead and their potential to make noise in the West. Yes, Williamson is making a ton of money in New Orleans even if hes still wildly out-performing his rookie deal. Click to reveal With his dogs standing on their hind legs, they are at least 4-foot-6, and the former No. The Smoothie King Centermoribund or empty for much of Williamsons career due to the coronavirus pandemicwas rocking. I could only do limited rehab things. Few rookies in the history of the sport have been must-see television from the start. Its going to be hard to avoid the microscope with the way Williamson draws headlines, but there shouldnt be too much pressure on the Pelicans in Year One of whats been an impressive retooling, in the wake of Anthony Davis. What will Bradley Beal bring to Phoenix? SPORTS ILLUSTRATED is a registered trademark of ABG-SI LLC. Stream ad-free or purchase CD's and MP3s now on Amazon.com. Losing Williamson as an unrestricted free agent in 2025 would be nothing short of a catastrophic event for the Pelicans, especially considering his trade value, which currently is high despite the challenges ahead. Unfortunately for him, he had no choice in the matter. Now another postseason has arrived, and Williamson is again unavailable to play for now. . (AP) All-Star forward Zion Williamson said he wont return to the New Orleans Pelicans lineup until hes confident his body will respond well to the way he wants to play. The path has been more twisted, more painful, than he ever could have known. . Hes pleased, yes. Zion Williamson is trending on Twitter, and the jokes are incredible, LIV Golfs stunning relegation reveal points to existence into future despite PGA Tour deal. Grayson Weir. And though he wont divulge his weight, Williamson jokes that he wouldnt mind that number leakingas a counterpoint to the whispers of him once weighing 330 pounds. I understand the magnitude of these games coming up and I dont want to be out there hesitating or doing something that may affect my team in a bad way.. Call (800) 327-5050 or visit gamblinghelpline.ma.org (MA), Call 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY). 1 pick with the charisma to match his talent, JJ Redick revealed Williamson had not reached out to his new teammate, includes weight and body-fat requirements, SI Top 100: Russell Westbrook Among Biggest Snubs. 8. It took a lot. Whichever direction the Pelicans would go in under the above circumstances, the logic behind trading one of the most productive young stars in the NBA would rest on stability and assurances. Come mid-season, if the Pelicans find themselves dead in the water with no realistic shot to even make the play-in tournament, with an increasingly frustrated Williamson roaming the sidelines, shuffling himself in and out of the lineup pending health, then maybe it's time to lay the groundwork for a 2022 summer trade. Performance & security by Cloudflare. From a salary perspective, it's easy to include Grimes' $2.4 million or Quickley's $4 million into any deal that sends out a total of $26.6 million. Look at the generational pick history, Zion Williamsons teammate speaks out on one of the many swirling rumors, the news hes expecting a baby girl with his apparent girlfriend, was also dubbed a liar and cheat by Mills. Void in ONT. Lets make sure and remember this moment, before the television punditry picks him apart for god-knows-what. When the Pelicans won the lottery, Williamson was going to be stuck there for at least five years, and more likely seven years. 2023 ABG-SI LLC. Alright, Pelicans fans, put down your pitchforks. People really out here think that I could witness something like that and then tell myself I dont want to be [there]?, McCollums arrival in Februaryvia a trade with Portland that also included Larry Nance Jr. and cost the Pelicans only role players and draft pickshad spurred another minor controversy, when former Pelicans guard and ESPN analyst JJ Redick revealed Williamson had not reached out to his new teammate. Yeah, doesnt look that great right now for the Pelicans franchise player. People ignore that he shot a passable 33.8% on 71 three-point attempts at Duke. Currently, Charlotte owns the No. John Collins is headed to Utah in exchange for Rudy Gay and a future second-round pick, per multiple reports. If not, then youve got to live with it.. he sustained a hamstring strain on Jan. 2. an attempt to move up from the No. Well, not exactly, but you cant blame the Jordan Brand marketing team for having fun with the mystery of it all in a recent series of ads for the Zion 2 shoe. Whether fueled by people close to Zion, hopeful Knicks fans . He reportedly also has suitors in Suns, Lakers, Celtics, more. Mills implored the Pelicans, repeatedly, to trade Williamson amid speculation he has a rocky relationship with the team. . Who are the top men's college players of the past 25 years? Keeping Zion Williamson happy in New Orleans wont be easy. Vinson has was credited for helping rework Balls jump shot when he came to the Pelicans and has been on staff for more than a decade. 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. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED is a registered trademark of ABG-SI LLC. . Like, if I can really come back from this right . Its more so just proving myself right.. Of Weatherspoon, Williamson says, She saved me from so many kind of like mental breakdowns. This is a BETA experience. Detached, Redick called him, echoing concerns that had been filtering through the organization for some time. The 22-year-old Pelicans star is at the center of a fiery situation with Moriah Mills, a former adult film star and current OnlyFans creator, who is now threatening to release alleged sex tapes of . (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images). Except hes now returning to a Pelicans team that made the playoffs without him, with a new coach, an overhauled roster, a star wing inBrandon Ingramand a star playmaker inCJ McCollum. Williamson is good enough to be an A1 star leading his team to the playoffs, but the Pelicans still have a ton of work to do. She didnt have to do that. Or just a phantom passing through the twilight? Built like a tight end, brandishing unnatural agility and explosiveness, Williamson is a truly unique player and arguably boasts the greatest upside of any eligible prospect. Similarly, the Pelicans could be looking at a situation where Williamson's trade value decreases over the next two years, should issues around him keep popping up. The Pelicans are loaded with future draft assets that would be helpful in a trade. Last season, the two-time All-Star averaged 26 points, 7.0 rebounds and 4.6 assists while shooting 60.8% from the floor. Bradley Beal would be a perfect fit in New Orleans playing off Zion, but its likely the Wizards wont want to trade him just yet. What will he be when he at last takes the court again on Oct. 19, in Brooklyn? For a player like Williamson who has already faced so many injury issues both in college and at the start of his pro career, its unfortunate he has to spend his earliest years in the league while hes in peak physical condition playing for a team hed prefer not to be with. Member Services 888-999-6264. Until then, the Pelicans need to gauge the situation for what it appears to be on the surface. 1. Its not rocket science that his best role offensively has always been at the five, but until he becomes a more flexible defender, its hard to see the Pelicans being able to rely on those types of lineups for long stretches. All Rights Reserved. Williamson has rarely been seen or heard in the last 17 months, outside of a July 6 press conference to announce a contract extension worth at least $193 million (a deal that, sources confirm, includes weight and body-fat requirements). 3. Hes primarily a two-footed leaper, gathering off of both feet to better maintain his balance in mid-air, and hes exhibited enough of a handle to get downhill in quick-catch situations and to beat most opponents to spots off the dribble. 2. There have been moments with the Pelicans where hes gotten lost and moments where his explosiveness covers for those mistakes. Williamson, the first overall pick by the Pelicans in the 2019 NBA Draft, is in the first year of a five-year, $193 million maximum contract extension. They aint ready for you! barks another voice. It isnt dissimilar from whats happening with the Dallas Mavericks and Luka Doncic. This is not to say the Pelicans need to, or even should, trade Williamson. Sex tapes dropping soon.. No guarantees are made for any specific outcome. 1 overall pick, Williamson was reportedly dismayed because he was hoping to land with the New York Knicks, who came away with the third pick. Weatherspoon had a terrific career in the WNBA, and would be the first woman ever named as an NBA head coach if she gets the job. While thePelicansare reportedly open to trading star Zion Williamson to theHornetsto move up in the NBA draft and select G-League standout Scoot Henderson, Charlotte reportedly has another New Orleans star in mind. Even more encouraging? If not for mysterious injuries or meddling family members, then for sudden weight gain and contractual speculation. Yesterday, Zion Williamson announced that he was going to be a father. Not done, he means, with the two-a-day workouts that began here Aug. 3, nor with a disciplined new diet, as prescribed by his personal chef, Jhonas Lewis (known simply as Chef J.D.). The physical . By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. The negativity was suffocating. @Zionwilliamson pic.twitter.com/ZeAgAsUoOf. Maybe he isnt as upset as his family is. She on twitter saying how come Zion hasnt paid my bills lately fuming. If you are having difficulty accessing any content on this website, please visit our Accessibility page. 5. It bothers me that people would even do that to him., Williamson later adds: I felt helpless. From my perspective, I just want to play basketball. However, when Williamson is active, he is a dominant force. I was rehabbing, he says, and in my mind Im thinking, Man, in two weeks Im about to play again. The Saudi-backed LIV Golf tour announced a new approach to its competition structure, referencing changes into a 2024 season. Check out Always On My Mind by Willie Nelson on Amazon Music. 14 in exchange for its pick at No. At that most vulnerable moment, it was important for me to let him know that hes a great young man and hes worthy of those things that you work for, says Weatherspoon, the former WNBA star and Hall of Famer. Williamson gulps water from a two-gallon thermos throughout the day, having eschewed all other beverages. . NASCAR penalizes Sheldon Creed for wrecking competitor at Nashville, Struggling Blue Jays starter Alek Manoah allows 11 runs in first minor league game, Duplantis sets world-leading outdoor mark of 6.12 meters at Golden Spike, Strickers full circle moment at Senior Open, How new mindset took Finaus game to another level, Finau details changes to game thats led to wins, Zion hadnt spoken publicly about his situation since training camp, Via Rod Walker at the New Orleans Times-Picayune, being away from the team during much of his rehab. Eamon Lynchs latest opinion piece put Patrick Cantlay between the crosshairs of the PGA Tour LIV Golf deal. I hate you .. ong #ZionWilliamson looks like you been had a girlfriend and sleeping with other women behind my back. There are three teams with reported interest in Draymond Green as free agency approaches. Eamon Lynch runs Patrick Cantlay over with double decker bus amid PGA Tour LIV Golf deal. Williamson is 6-foot-6. Should young players have more autonomy on where they start their careers? Rory McIlroy fires obsolete distaste for Travelers Championship course amid Keegan Bradley domination. The Pelicans are expected to offer Zion a max extension, although possibly with some Joel Embiid-like health clauses in the contract. At the time of the decision to side with Simmons, the young star had tremendous trade value. The best version that he can give us, McCollum says of Williamson, will be the best version of our team.. An 8-year-old having to deal with stuff like that, being asked questions that he dont fully understand yet, thats a lot. But the South Florida sun wont rise for another 49 minutes on this September morning, and the joggers and late-arriving soccer players have no idea what they just missed. Lets grade every teams haul in the 2023 NBA Draft. However, when Williamson is active, he is a dominant force. 10. He and his significant other named Akheema announced the gender of the child on YouTube: Our Gender Reveal Party With . Its been three years since Williamson seized the NBA spotlight, a uniquely bound blend of power and grace, a cant-miss superstar, a No. And theyre also gonna see that my game has evolved. Williamsons anxiety about re-injury is understandable, given how his first four NBA seasons have gone since he was selected first overall out of Duke in the 2019 NBA draft. Williamson, who has been at the center of trade rumors, was also dubbed a liar and cheat by Mills, among other things. This won't be a trade piece, at least not in the traditional sense. As Weatherspoon frequently tells him: The things that you desire in this game, or in life period, its what you put into it. 116.202.65.103 Of course, the Knicks can send out more . Gambling Problem? But if you know me, you know I want to be here Being around the guys, being in Smoothie King, seeing that playoff environment, Williamson said. A healthier, more serene Zion returned to New Orleans in early March, in time to cheer on the Pelicans late-season renaissance, sparked by the midseason trade for McCollum. Williamsons feel is demonstrably strong enough offensively that you figure hell eventually catch up on the other endintelligent players tend to find ways. Maybe yes, according to multiple reports, which is why rumors of the Pelicans trading him for the No. . When the Pelicans came up with the No. Todays NBA is dominated by unorthodox players who can take over on the ball and generate shots for themselves and others. He has the physical presence to draw fouls at an elite rate. On behalf of Boot Hill Casino & resort (KS). I just want to be out there. The beautiful thing about Williamsons game has always been his maturity. The rumors have been flying around almost since the day the New Orleans Pelicans drafted Zion Williamson: He wants out of New Orleans But you have to put in. Having said that, it's time to address an undeniable truth: Zion Williamson is becoming a distraction for the New Orleans . I dont want to go out there and be in my own head and affect the team when I can just be on the sideline supporting them more, because I know myself.
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