Getty NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - OCTOBER 11: Zion Williamson #1 of the New Orleans Pelicans shoots against Rudy Gobert #27 of the Utah Jazz during the second half of a game at the Smoothie King Center on October 11, 2019 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
Word out of New Orleans is that Zion Williamson could suit up for the Pelicans this week.
The Pelicans will know a lot more after practice this week, but it sure sounds like we’ll get the long-awaited NBA debut of Zion Williamson on Thursday vs. the Jazz. That’s the plan, anyway, per sources.
According to a tweet from NBA reporter Mitch Lawrence of Sirius XM Radio, Williamson, the number one overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft has been practicing with the Pelicans and could make his regular season debut this Thursday against the Utah Jazz.
Williamson, 19 has not played in an NBA regular season game. He averaged 22.1 points and 8.9 rebounds per game at Duke and was the unanimous ACC player of the year.
He has not stepped for on an NBA court since NBA Summer League and suffered a torn lateral meniscus. Williamson had surgery to repair the meniscus injury back in October and has been sidelined since.
The excitement for Williamson is great.
So great, in fact that Williamson has an ally in New Orleans hip hop legend, Juvenile. With hits like Back that Azz Up, Slow Motion, Rodeo, I Need A Hot Girl, Juvenile is forever embeded into the fabric of the 90s and 2000s as a member of Cash Money Records.
Over the weekend, I caught up with Juvenile in Tallahassee, Florida minutes before he took the stage to perform at The Moon during the 23rd Annual Demp Week. Trina, Azia and Young Jeezy also graced the stage.
For those keeping score at home: Demp Week is a week-long celebration that honors and celebrates legendary DJ and producer DJ Demp and houses community events, a celebrity basketball game, a brunch and more.
Tallahassee📍
Juvenile tells me that he likes the Pelicans’ future and he’s intrigued by Zion Williamson’s skillset. Check out a snippet of our Q&A below:
Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson: New Orleans… What do you think of the Pelicans this year?
Juvenile: Awww man, to be honest I wish Zion comes back soon but I’m pretty sure that they’re not going to let him play this year. But I think we got a good team, I think we got a good nucleus, I like the young talent we got and I like the coaching and I think we’re turning it around right now. We winnin’ some games now
Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson: Zion Williamson being out, Brandon Ingram has stepped up. What has surprised you about him?
Juvenile: Brandon’s a baller. He a baller. I think he’s All-Star material this year, I think he should get a lot of votes this year, the fact that he stays in attack mode like it’s his team, I just wanna see him and Zion gel together. I would love to see them play at least 2 or 3 games consecutively together without getting hurt.
NEW ORLEANS, LA – FEBRUARY 15: Rapper Juvenile attends GQ & LeBron James NBA All Star Party Sponsored By Samsung Galaxy And Beats at Ogden Museum’s Patrick F. Taylor Library on February 15, 2014 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images for GQ)
Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson: I spoke to Charles Barkley recently and I told him that Zion reminds me a little bit of him and one of the things he said to me was and this was before the season started he said he needs to slow down a little bit a hundred miles is not really a thing that you want, you should go 55 miles a little bit…When you look at Zion Williamson do you see him as a two, a three, a four within the Pelicans offense?
Juvenile: I would say a three. But I feel the same way though. I think he goes hard though like when he was at Duke he bust his shoe out, he was going a little too hard. I think if he could have that balance between power and finesse, I think he’ll be alright. He got a lot to learn.
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Pelicans’ Zion Williamson Gets High Praise from NOLA Rap Legend Juvenile