Matt Barnes reveals Zion Williamson wants out, especially his family. Says young superstars are not attracted towards small-market teams.
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Zion Williamson has been a problem for New Orleans Pelicans ever since his draft. Due to his bulky stature, the Duke sensation was considered to be injury-prone. And that’s exactly what happened once he made it to the league.
The 22-year old has been plagued with injuries so far. The first one happened in the summer league which kept him out for most of the 2019-20 season. However, he showed immense potential during the time spent he actually spent on the court.
He was an all-star last season and tried his best to take the Pelicans to the playoffs. In the off-season, he suffered a foot injury and is yet to play this season. Zion’s actions reflect his reluctance to come back. Reports suggest he has put on weight and is unable to complete the rehab process.
Zion Williamson’s family doesn’t want him in New Orleans
Recently, Willaimson received severe flack from former Pelicans player JJ Reddick for not reaching out to CJ McCollum after the trade. The retired NBA player says Zion is evading the basic responsibility of a teammate and an athlete with this sort of behavior.
Another player turned analyst Matt Barnes suggested that Zion doesn’t want to be in New Orleans, to begin with. It may not be his sole decision as parents are equally disinclined.
“I don’t think Zion wants to be there…There’s been rumblings, not from him but from his family, from the jump. And it’s hard for small market teams to keep young superstars.”
– Matt Barnes on Zion’s situation in New Orleans
(Via NBA Today) pic.twitter.com/8G0BasU67D— NBA Central (@TheNBACentral) February 23, 2022
He was the most anticipated draft pick since LeBron James. He landed Nike deals while in college and stadiums filled up just to watch him.
The New Orleans Pelicans tanked really hard after Anthony Davis’ departure to land Zion Williamson. They built a young roster around him but that clearly wasn’t enough to keep the 1x all-star interested.
Matt Barnes says it’s hard for small market teams to keep young superstars interested. But that’s not the case with Luka Doncic and Ja Morant. They are considered to be top 10 in the NBA right now. These two youngsters have time and again stressed the fact they want to remain loyal to their team.
Although they might not live up to their word in the future, Zion is unwilling to even say it. While his draft classmate Ja Morant is earning national TV spots for the Grizzlies, Willaimson is finding ways to force his way out according to Matt Barnes.
