Pelicans' Zion Williamson makes urgent summer plea
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The New Orleans Pelicans picked up a 127-120 win over the Los Angeles Clippers at home on Tuesday night. Star power forward Zion Williamson stole the show, scoring 22 points with 10 rebounds and 12 assists while shooting 8-of-13 from the field and 6-of-6 from the free-throw line.
Following the game, Williamson talked about how this group could have a bright future together, despite the 2024-25 campaign not going as the team hoped.
“This is when it comes down to being a pro and deciding what you want to get out of it,” Williamson said. We talked about it as a team. The season hasn't gone the way we wanted, but that doesn't mean we can't build into something for next year—build better habits. Like I said, it's about consistency.
“When we take a lead, we have to maintain it instead of just being front-runners. How we lock into the scouting report, how we function as a team—all of that matters. We've got to build on that. When summer comes, we need to stick together, and by the time the season starts, we'll be locked in and ready to go.”
The Pelicans currently sit at 18-48, giving them the fourth-worst record in the NBA and the second-worst in the Western Conference. They are 15 games out of a spot in the Play-In Tournament.
Williamson has been a bright spot for the Pelicans when on the floor this season, averaging 24.4 points, 7.3 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 56.4% from the field. Some in the basketball community, including Shaquille O’Neal, want to see more from Williamson, however.
Shaquille O’Neal unimpressed by Pelicans’ Zion Williamson
The 2024-25 campaign has not been friendly to the New Orleans Pelicans or star power forward Zion Williamson, but they have each had some bright spots.
Despite the triple-double Williamson put together in the Pelicans’ Tuesday night win over the Los Angeles Clippers, Shaquille O’Neal still wants to see more from him.
“You’re giving him props for that? I need more,” O’Neal said. “Yeah, I need 26, 27 [points]. I demand from my franchise player, you’re paying the max to- don’t give props for 20 points. Anybody can get 20 points now.”
O’Neal thinks Williamson’s production needs to be higher because of the quality of season the Pelicans have had.
“In one sentence, you said ‘The up-and-down Pelicans,’ I can’t have that with my franchise player,” O’Neal said. “If they were in third, fourth place and he had those numbers, then I’d be impressed, but I’m not impressed with that. You need to do more, Zion. I love you.”
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