“My family was getting harassed by people and why we don’t like New Orleans”: Zion Williamson breaks silence signing 5-year $193M extension

Arjun Julka | 07/07/2022
"My family was getting harassed by people and why we don't like New Orleans": Zion Williamson breaks silence signing 5-year $193M extension

The first pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, Zion Williamson, finally addresses the false narratives about him wanting out of New Orleans. 

The 2021-22 season saw Zion Williamson sit out the entire time as he nursed a fractured foot. Nonetheless, the Duke sensation was under the radar, with various narratives playing out in the media. There was a common belief that the 6″6′ forward wanted out of New Orleans.

Things became uglier with Zion mercilessly trolled for having gained extra pounds. At the time, many reports in the media claimed that the Pelicans forward was deliberately gaining weight and slowing the pace of his recovery to force himself out of the organization.

In this day and age, where body-shaming is a social issue, there were double standards adopted in the case of Zion. We had the likes of former MVPs and Hall of Famers Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal mocking the 2021 All-Star, with the social media having a meme fest over it.

Also read: “252 lbs” Charles Barkley was roasted while getting compared to Zion Williamson’s shooting form

However, Zion chose to maintain his silence over all the narratives, addressing the media at the appropriate time. Turning 22-years old, Zion celebrated his birthday by signing a 5-year $193M extension at a press conference

“I told the world if you ever want to know if I want to be here, just ask me”: Zion Williamson on the narratives of him wanting out of New Orleans.

It’s official Zion is locked-in with the Pelicans as he returns to the hardwood in the upcoming 2022-23 season. While he has struggled with injuries, Zion is a walking bucket. The Pels forward in his 85-games so far has averaged 25.7 PPG, 7.0 RPG, and 3.2 assists, shooting 60.4% from the field.

Amid all the false speculations and narratives, Zion finally broke his silence during a recent press conference as he signed a max extension with the Pelicans.

Despite being eliminated in the first round of the 2o22 playoffs, the Pelicans showed a good fight against the first-seed Phoenix Suns. With the likes of Brandon Ingram, CJ McCollum, and Jonas Valanciunas on the roster, the addition of Zion only makes things scary for the opposition.

Also read: Zion Williamson, Ben Simmons, and others rack up “$722 million” in rookie contracts while missing full seasons

 

Post Edited By: Arjun Julka
New Orleans Pelicans Zion Williamson

About the author

Arjun Julka

Arjun Julka is a NBA author at The SportsRush. Basketball isn’t just a sport for this 26-year-old, who hails from Mumbai. He began watching the sport after stumbling upon a court in his society, helping him identify an undiscovered passion for the game of hoops. Now an ardent fan, Arjun supports Stephen Curry and the Warriors but also enjoys watching Giannis Antetokounmpo own the paint. When it comes to the GOAT debate, the TSR author feels LeBron James is yet to receive a lot of his due but cannot deny marveling at Michael Jordan’s resume.

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