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Zion Williamson Draws Inspiration From The Notorious B.I.G.

Zion Williamson ended his Media Day availability with a story of being inspired by the Notorious B.I.G.

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New Orleans Pelicans
New Orleans Pelicans

Most NBA players still drawing checks from their rookie deal listen to more modern artists like Drake or Future. Herb Jones shared during media day that he has both on his playlist, in between some Gunna and Meek Mill. Zion Williamson went old school, ending his Media Day availability with a story of being inspired by the Notorious B.I.G. 

Williamson cited ''Ready to Die'' as a go-to album to get him through tough times. It helped to change his perspective on dealing with stress and feeling like the weight of the world is on his shoulders. 

"That album, lyrically, how he talked about stress, what he was dealing with feeling the weight of the world on your shoulders...Feeling like you are standing alone. That album helped shift my mindset to find true resolve within the game. I'm 22 and have been through a lot in the past year and some change. There are some things you wish didn't happen. From that album you just learn, that's life. Things are going to happen. You just have to roll with them."

He added, "Something mentally in me shifted, changed. The game of basketball..that's it for me. That's what I love. That's what I want to do."

Brandon Ingram is ready to get to work with Williamson, though he did admit, ''It'll definitely be a feeling out process. It's been a while since we've played with each other so, anyone coming into the fold it's going to be a little different. I'll try to watch some highlights, ask him how he wants the basketball and how he wants to play, but until we get out on the floor...hopefully during pre-season we can get it together.''

However, the All-Star duo cannot waste time or get tunnel vision in a two-man game. Ingram insisted, "It's communication with everybody. Just having all 5 people on the floor, or all 15 guys in the fold, and I think just having those conversations is going to be good for us going forward. Especially if we get it out the way right now. We don't have to look to January or All-Star break and be like oh this shit ain't working. we can get it all out the way right now and We like, this is what it's going to look like and this is how we should attack it."

Ultimately, Ingram does not "have any expectations. I think when you go in with expectations you lose patience and I know throughout Zion coming back and getting a feel for the game we have to be patient with him getting back into the groove of things and helping him along the way. It was the same thing when CJ came, we had to figure out how to work with each other. That happened pretty fast but it's going to be something we continue to work with, you know, he signed the contract to be here for a while, CJ's going to be here for a while, so we'll figure it out."

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