Getty New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson
Among the many interesting teams to watch at the 2019 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, Nevada, there may be no group drawing more attention than the New Orleans Pelicans. The obvious reason is the fact that the No. 1 pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, Zion Williamson will be suiting up for his new team, but the roster features a number of other talented players as well.
The Pelicans found themselves in the headlines early and often this offseason, beginning with their blockbuster trade which will send Anthony Davis to the Los Angeles Lakers. But after the deal to move Davis, New Orleans won the draft lottery and selected the former Duke Blue Devils star.
Zion not only headlines the Pelicans’ roster, but also the entire group of players at the NBA summer league. We’re going to take a look at who’ll be playing alongside him for New Orleans in Vegas.
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New Orleans Pelicans Summer League Roster & Lineup
*Note: All roster information courtesy of NBA.com.
- Jalen Adams, guard
- Javon Bess, guard/forward
- Trevon Bluiett, guard
- Tony Carr, guard
- Zylan Cheatham, forward
- Aubrey Dawkins, guard
- Makoto Hiejima, guard
- Frank Jackson, guard
- London Perrantes, guard
- Luke Petrasek, forward
- Kenrich Williams, forward
- Zion Williamson, forward
- Christian Wood, center
The Pelicans will be featured in the televised summer league games often over the span of the tournament. Of their four opening-round games, three are on ESPN networks (two on ESPN, one on ESPN2) and the fourth will be shown on NBATV.
There’s no question that Williamson is the headliner for the Pelicans, but the roster features a number of other intriguing prospects and current NBA players. We’re going to look at the biggest names to watch along with Zion, including a player he matched up against in the 2019 NCAA Tournament, former UCF guard Aubrey Dawkins.
Pelicans Summer League: Zion Williamson Headlines Roster
Williamson, who averaged 22.6 points, 8.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 2.1 steals and 1.8 blocks per game in his lone collegiate season, will draw the bulk of the attention for the Pelicans. But along with the former Duke star, New Orleans fans should be excited to see names like Dawkins, former Arizona State forward Zylan Cheatham and a number of others.
Cheatham specifically is a player I’m interested in watching. He transferred to Arizona State from San Diego State and was impressive during the 2018-19 season. The 6-foot-8 forward averaged 12.1 points, 10.3 rebounds and 3.2 assists while shooting 53.4 percent from the field, which was the highest marks of his collegiate career.
Two current Pelicans players who have played in the NBA previously worth watching are Kenrich Williams and Christian Wood. Williams started 29 of the 46 games he played last season for New Orleans, averaging 6.1 points and 4.8 rebounds over 23.5 minutes.
As for Wood, he saw limited minutes with the Milwaukee Bucks before landing with the Pelicans and immediately made an impact. In just eight games with his new team, the 23-year-old forward averaged 16.9 points and 7.9 rebounds in 23.6 minutes per game.
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