Some basketball players just like to let their voices be heard. For at least two New Orleans Pelicans, that could be anywhere – during games, on the practice court, in the locker room, you name it. To determine the team’s most constant high-volume speaker, Pelicans.com asked members of the roster a simple question, “Who’s the biggest trash-talker to opposing players among your Pelicans teammates?” Not surprisingly, the two most common responses were a pair of close friends, both undrafted in the early 2020s, who’ve been significant parts of the team’s rise up the Western Conference standings since they arrived in the Crescent City.
Dyson Daniels: “Definitely Naji.”
Jordan Hawkins: “Probably Jose.”
Herb Jones: Jose. To his own teammates, it’s also Jose.”
E.J. Liddell: “Herb, easily. No matter what I do, he’s just trash-talking me specifically. I don’t know if he has something against me, but he’s ben trash-talking me a lot lately. I thought we were cool, but I might have to start returning the favor.” [smiles]
Naji Marshall: “Probably me or Jose. To our own teammates, it’s also me or Jose.” [laughs]
Jonas Valanciunas: “Naji.”
Cody Zeller: “Jose I feel like is always talking, whether it’s trash talk or conversational.”
TOTAL “VOTES”: Jose Alvarado 4, Naji Marshall 3, Herb Jones 1.