Zion Williamson looks ‘great’ and ‘dominates’ team script, says New Orleans Pelicans coach Willie Green

METAIRIE, La. – New Orleans Pelicans opened training camp on Tuesday with two practice sessions, one in the morning then one in the evening.

By design, the morning session is lighter. There is a script in the evening that will be the first tense 5 vs 5 work for Zion Williamson with the group since May 2020.

One might expect someone to rust in that situation, but Williamson isn’t just someone.

“Z looks amazing,” Pelicans coach Willie Green said Wednesday afternoon. “His strength, his speed. He dominated the script quite a bit.”

Williamson told reporters on Tuesday that he’s excited about the 5v5 workout because he gets to practice as much as he can during the season, it’s hard to simulate a 5v5 match with the players. highly talented player.

“What stood out was his force more than anything,” Green said. “He gets to the floor quickly. When he catches the ball, he makes quick decisions. Whether it’s scoring goals, finding teammates. That’s really impressive.”

Williamson’s teammates said he made the most of the job he could put in.

“He looks like Z,” said Pelicans forward Larry Nance. “You haven’t played basketball in 500 days. Not all of us expect it right away but shoot, I have to be honest with you, you look good. It’s going to take time for everyone to. who adapts to him. It will take time for him to adapt to people, but it’s hard not to be impressed.”

Nance said he later spoke to Williamson in the dressing room and asked him if he realized he hadn’t missed. Williamson told him he hadn’t even thought about it.

“He looked like the wrecked ball we all know and love,” Nance said. “Pleased to say the least.”

Green says the Pelicans mostly used their expected starting lineups in last night’s scenarios – Williamson, CJ McCollum, Brandon IngramHerb Jones and Jonas Valanciunas – but that changes everything on some Wednesday night when they return to the floor for the second time in a row every two days.

While Nance has faced Williamson before and Green has coached with Williamson, the Pelicans have a number of players who haven’t had a chance to play with Williamson since he was injured all season last season.

Trey Murphy and Jose Alvaradopart of last year’s rookie class with Jones, got his first real on-court look at Williamson.

“Strong. Very strong. And also ready to compete,” Murphy said when asked what Williamson looks like. “I’ll say it. That’s all I have to say.”

Alvarado says it looks like Williamson missed out on plenty of time.

“I think Z is a special player,” said Alvarado. “But a player that we can adapt. He doesn’t need the ball immediately. He will find his way. He has adapted very well. It looks like he has played against us. a time.”