According to CJ McCollum, the media has portrayed a wrong picture of what Zion Williamson is like as a human being.
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The addition of CJ McCollum has definitely benefitted the New Orleans Pelicans. In the former Blazers guard’s 26-game stint with the organization in the 2021-2022 campaign, CJ averaged a solid 24.3 points, 5.8 assists, and 4.5 rebounds. Co-leading, alongside Brandon Ingram, the Pels to their first playoffs appearance in 4 years.
Clearly, McCollum has gelled perfectly with BI, Jonas Valanciunas, and coach Willie Green. However, the concern that many New Orleans fans have is whether or not the combo-guard will be able to co-exist and flourish alongside Zion Williamson.
Also Read: Charles Barkley roasts Zion Williamson in the most Chuck way possible as contract talks emerge
Having been injured throughout the season, McCollum has taken the time and effort to build a relationship with “Zanos”. In fact, CJ has repeatedly spoken about how Zion has been wrongfully portrayed by the media. And recently, the President of the Players’ Association spoke about the topic again.
“Zion Williamson works extremely hard”: CJ McCollum
CJ made an appearance on an ESPN show where he spoke about Zion and how he is negatively depicted by the media. The 9-year veteran said:
“There’s this misconception of what he’s like as a human being. He’s nice, he’s fun-loving, he’s from the south, he loves is southern cuisine. The cool part is that his teammates like him. You see the media and how he is treated, he doesn’t speak very often because he has a lot of people that speak for him behind the scenes. One of the things he will do this season is be present. Not just for the media, but for his team. All in all, I’ve enjoyed my experiences with him. He works extremely hard.”
Also Read: CJ McCollum seeks pointers from Magic Johnson to run the show alongside Zion
The sharpshooter further stated how the rehab process would’ve been brutal for Williamson and how he’d hope to prove everyone wrong when he’s able to take on the floor again.
“The rehab process is brutal not only mentally, but physically. You know, you’re away from the team, you feel removed. You getting up early, you working out by yourself and essentially you feel like you’re lost. And I think with us going into the playoffs last year, winning those play-in games, I think it kind of painted the picture of ‘this work is not gonna be lost. I’m gonna be able to contribute, play well with this team, I’m gonna be able to really show the world what I have to offer. Not just in the regular season, but also in the postseason’.”
