“I played with Zion Williamson, I can describe him as a detached teammate”: JJ Redick slams Pelicans forward for not being fully invested in the team

JJ Redick blasts his former teammate Zion Williamson for continuing his detached behavior with his teammates and franchise.

After CJ McCollum‘s trade to the New Orleans Pelicans earlier this month, things have become pretty dramatic. McCollum revealed during the All-Star events on Saturday night that he had yet to speak with Zion Williamson, who has yet to play this season.

Being the franchise player for the Pelicans, Zion should have been among the first few people to talk to the veteran guard on his arrival, but instead, he decided to wait until everything became public.

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“I haven’t had conversations with him directly,” McCollum said on TNT. “I’ve spoken with some people close to him, and I look forward to sitting down with him sooner [rather] than later. I know about as much as you do right now, but I’m gonna get to the bottom of it.”

Since then, CJ did have a talk with the estranged forward, the extent of which remains unknown.

And now Williamson’s former teammate JJ Redick feels the 21-year-old is too detached with many aspects of a team game.

JJ Redick slams Zion Williamson for his unprofessional behavior

Redick played the last couple of years of his 15-year NBA career in New Orleans before joining the Mavericks and retiring in 2021. He exactly knows what it feels like to be teammates with the 1st pick of the 2019 draft.

“There’s a responsibility that you have as an athlete when you play a team sport to be fully invested,” Redick said on ESPN. “You’re fully invested in your body, you’re fully invested in your work, and you’re fully invested in your teammates. That is your responsibility, and we have not seen that from Zion.”

“This is a pattern of behavior with Zion that we are seeing, again and again, I was his teammate, I can describe him as a detached teammate. That is an accurate statement.” Redick further said.

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JJ knows exactly what he is talking about, as this isn’t the first time he has called out Williamson for his lack of communication with his team. In his time with Pelicans it was a similar situation with a rookie Zion being injured out and distant from his team.

“Yes, he’s been amazing when he’s been on the court, 100%. He’s amazing to watch,” Redick said on ESPN. “There’s no one that can do what he does on a basketball court … but as a teammate, there is a pattern of behavior, as a fully invested individual in New Orleans, there’s a pattern of behavior. This is worrisome.” finished Redick.