Pelicans 2022-23 Season Preview: Zion Williamson's Work Paying Off
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Zion Williamson's return to the New Orleans Pelicans is the most anticipated debut of the 2022-23 season. The newly-drafted rookies and veterans like John Wall will just have to understand. The first overall pick in 2019 has only played 85 games but has spent the past few weeks showing the world there is a good chance he comes back better than ever. Don't just take my word for it, listen to everyone who has been helping him along the way.
2020-21 Stats: 27 points, 7.2 rebounds, 3.7 assists per game
“It’s been a lot,” said Williamson of the rehab process. “I can sit here and explain it, but nobody will really be able to feel it the way I did. My foot was broken and I couldn’t magically heal it. It hurt because I love the game of basketball. But because of it, I was experiencing hate and pain from people I don’t know every day, and it started to wear on me.”
In those depths, Naruto provided a great deal of inspiration. A new five-year rookie max contract extension worth up to $231 million provides fair compensation through the 2027-28 season. Williamson's chef Christian Green got the nutrition plan on point.
Green explained, “Approaching this situation, what I saw is it’s all motivation. Me being his personal chef and him being who he is, which he's a great athlete, it’s all motivations. You know, it sucks that people may think what they think. Because that's the world we live in, they are quick to bring up so much negativity. But just to see him now, just to see him in the good spirits that he's in. With the weight that he's lost and the goals that we have in place, I just know that the sky's the limit for this young man. The sky's the limit and he is showing it."
The MasterChef competitor continued, "He's showing it by working out daily. By being obedient and sticking to the plan. And you know. You’ve seen him. I'm sure you've seen the articles, but I'm sure you've seen the videos and everything. He looks great. And you know what. We are not done. The season hasn’t started yet. Just imagine from what you saw in Vegas, just imagine what you are going to see when the season starts.”
Trainer Jasper Bibbs told The Athletic's Will Guillory, “He’s in fantastic shape. He’s been committed to putting in the work day in and day out. I’m really proud of what he’s been able to accomplish. He’s a better athlete now than he’s ever been.”
Bibbs explained Williamson has shown "a daily commitment during the summer, waking up early for 5 a.m. workouts and coming back for 7 p.m. workouts. He did it just like clockwork. The key was him buying in and realizing the plan was working and seeing the results."
"I’m very happy with his commitment to not only his conditioning but his commitment to doing all the tedious soft-tissue work, the stretching, and his nutrition. He’s been phenomenal with his nutrition. I’m very happy about that for him. As he continues his NBA career, it’s amazing that he’s starting to develop these habits right now at such a young point in his career. It’s just phenomenal to see."
A planned open practice on October 1 is the first time fans will have a chance to see Williamson back on the Smoothie King Center court with his teammates. If he is anything close to what Bibbs and Green have described, it will be the last time anyone worries about the generational superstar. Well, everyone but the opposing team.
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