Second-year pro Naji Marshall was born in New Jersey, went to high schools in the Washington, D.C., area and attended college in Ohio at Xavier, so perhaps it shouldn’t be a surprise that one of the things he likes most about New Orleans is the Gulf South’s warm winters. Marshall discussed some of his background with Pelicans.com, including how a highlight from his 2021 “offseason” ranks among the top moments from his athletic career:
Best moments as an athlete: “Winning a state championship in high school in 2016. Making it to the NCAA Tournament and being a No. 1 seed my freshman year. And going 5-0 in summer league this year in Las Vegas.”
How he chose his current uniform number of 8: “My (preferred) number is 13, but Kira Lewis got that. So 8 is the next-best number (that was available).”
One thing fans might be surprised to know about him: “I can sing. Any type of music.”
Favorite thing about New Orleans: “It reminds me of California. Great vibes, palm trees – well at least where I stay at – and it’s always good weather.”
Pregame ritual: “Listen to music and just lock in.”
Favorite athlete as a kid: “Allen Iverson.”
What he’d be doing if he weren’t an NBA player: “An NFL player. Quarterback or wide receiver.”
Closest friends currently playing on other NBA teams: “Louis King for Sacramento. I’ve got a lot of friends on a lot of teams, so if I leave them out, they’re going to be mad at me. [laughs] On almost every team I have a good friend.”