There were many happy faces at New Orleans’ Media Day on Monday, but the person who perhaps smiled the most has been given plenty of reasons to maintain a 24/7 grin. Zion Williamson’s boundless joy accompanying his return to the basketball court from injury – along with a lucrative, multi-year contract extension with the Pelicans – was unmistakable.
The 22-year-old described the atmosphere around his team and the start of the 2022-23 season as “amazing, a breath of fresh air. Especially for me, (after) what I went through last season. It’s refreshing to get on the court with the guys. We have a special group.”
During his season-opening press conference, the Duke University product noted that every day he looks forward to coming to the Pelicans’ practice facility, based on how much enjoyment he derives from being around players, coaches and staff.
“The Pelicans make it a family environment, to where when you come to work, it doesn’t even feel like work,” he said. “You’re just having fun and doing what we love to do.”
Zion Williamson excited for return | New Orleans Pelicans Media Day 2022
The 2021 All-Star power forward indicated that it’s been a virtual 180 from what he experienced during parts of the 2021-22 season, when he dealt with unpleasant aspects of being at the center of rumors and reports he couldn’t control. He occasionally felt the need to defend himself when he was in public in New Orleans.
“At first, when (last) season was going on, due to a lot of false narratives, the responses weren’t too (positive),” Williamson said, alluding to the fallout from national media speculating that he didn’t want to be in the Crescent City long term. “My family and friends would get harassed (in public) about not liking New Orleans, or not wanting to be here. (People would ask) ‘Do you have something against the city?’ My answer to them was always the same: ‘Did you ever hear me say that? Or was it from someone I don’t even know saying something, trying to talk on my behalf?’ ”
To Williamson’s relief, those kinds of interactions evaporated in July, when he signed a five-year contract extension, solidifying his future in New Orleans. Shortly after signing the deal, he and his family hosted a basketball camp at the local Dryades YMCA, an event Williamson describes as one of his favorite memories from an offseason filled with reasons to smile.
“That was the best part of my summer – the YMCA camp,” he said. “Once I became more vocal (publicly) and people got to see me and feel my energy first-hand, the energy shifted and changed. Now (fans are) excited to see me on the court, and I’m telling them I’m excited to see them at the games. The fan base in New Orleans is great. The energy in the playoffs was amazing.”
Looking back, Williamson believes the adversity he faced helped him develop as a person, saying, “All the (negatives) definitely helped me mature over time. That’s the story of life. Facing adversity and how you’re going to respond to it.”
In hindsight, Williamson acknowledged that he could’ve been more vocal about making clear his long-term intentions, which might have helped erase some misconceptions.
“If I could see them now, I would apologize,” Williamson said of New Orleanians who bluntly questioned his feelings about the city or desire to commit long term. “I guess for not speaking up a little more. (Doing that would have) given them reassurance.
“But the contract definitely helps. Just seeing (that it is) five years. From (fans) hearing that I didn’t want to be here, to now seeing that five years (on a contract extension), it really lets people know that I’m locked in and want to be here.”
After New Orleans lost a hard-fought first-round series to Phoenix in April, Williamson – who last played in an NBA game in May 2021 – immediately went to work, spending considerable time in the Ochsner Sports Performance Center in Metairie. He couldn’t wait to get started this fall.
“As soon as the season was over, I was working,” Williamson said. “I worked on a lot of things, my body, flexibility, honing my game in all areas. Working on my mental. Once again falling in love with the game of basketball. I didn’t fall out of love with it, but being able to feel the adrenaline (again), because I couldn’t go 100 percent for a while – that was phenomenal.”