Zion Williamson is determined to prove his doubters wrong and show the world that he is a winner on the court.
The future of Zion Williamson had been surrounded by a lot of uncertainty. He was unable to play in any games for the New Orleans Pelicans last year due to injury. As a result, there were lots of rumors about whether or not the Pelicans will extend Zion’s deal.
There had been discussions about a possible move for Zion away from New Orleans. The New York Knicks have long been associated with him, and they would love nothing more than to have him join their team.
All of that, though, is currently at a standstill. Zion Williamson has signed a five-year max extension with the New Orleans Pelicans, and despite his history of injuries, he will be paid well.
According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN: New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson has agreed on a five-year, $193 million designated maximum rookie extension that could earn him as much as $231 million, CAA Sports’ Co-Head of Basketball Austin Brown tells ESPN.
Zion Williamson himself is very determined to prove his doubters wrong. He was the subject of criticism over the past year because of his availability and also because he had gained a lot of weight. However, he is now back fit and is aiming to win for his team and the city.
There had been talks about the lack of commitment by Zion toward the New Orleans Pelicans. His name was constantly linked with the New York Knicks. However, Zion has shut down all those rumors and is fully focussed on winning with the Pelicans.
Zion said, “I want to prove that I’m a winner. It’s as simple as that. I want to win with coach. As well as with my teammates. The ultimate goal is to win the championship. I feel like that’s what we’re all striving for. Like Griff said, we’re hungry. Y’all saw this past year what the team did and I’m just excited to add to that.”
The New Orleans Pelicans have a pretty good squad. With Zion Willaimson back healthy, they’ll be a sneaky championship contender next season. Their fans are very excited to see this newly constructed Pels team.
Missing the entire season isn’t an easy thing for any athlete. especially when you are young, you feel very gutted and helpless when you are forced to sit out.
That’s exactly what happened with Zion. He missed the entire season due to injury. He was an all-star the season before, and Zion was expected to take a huge leap last season just like Ja Morant did.
Talking about his struggles, Zion said, “In the beginning of the season, I told the world, ‘If y’all ever want to know if I want to be here.’ Instead of asking me, the world just ran with narratives.”
He added, “So when my family was going out in public on why we don’t like New Orleans, why we don’t want to be here when that’s not the case at all. I wasn’t able to play because my foot was broke. So that sucked. Every time I checked my phone, it was always negative. Even when you’re trying to make a positive of the situation, it was very tough.”
The former Duke starlet showed his loyalty to the franchise that drafted him. Even though he is heavily pursued by big market teams, he wants to build his own legacy in New Orleans.
Zion Williamson couldn’t have celebrated his birthday in a better way than how he did this year. He was offered the super-max extension on his special day, and he was very delighted.
Talking about it, Zion Williamson said, “On my birthday last year, I found out I broke my foot. I was out the whole year. It was a tough year. For the Pelicans to come give me this birthday gift, I’m not going to let them down. I’m not going to let my family down. I’m not going to let the city down. And most importantly, I’m not going to let myself down.”
He added, “I want to thank my family. I want to thank the YMCA. I want to thank the city of New Orleans, especially Mrs. Benson. Thank y’all for believing in me. Just giving a kid like me a chance to showcase my abilities and hopefully help bring the team multiple championships. Thank y’all for sticking with me the past year.”
Zion is determined to fulfill the trust of Pelicans management. They trusted him despite all of his issues. He is a generational player, and if he is able to stay healthy, he could become an all-time great player.
The current Pelicans team is built to play at Zion’s strength. They got good shooters all around, and the spacing also will be helpful for Zion to dominate the teams.
CJ McCollum’s addition will provide the experience that their roster lacked. Everyone knows something special is brewing in New Orleans. They were able to reach the playoffs last season without Zion, and with him back healthy, their ceiling is a championship.
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