Zion Williamson Shows Leadership in Reaction to Pelicans' Hot Preseason Start

Williamson Believes There's Still Work to Be Done

Williamson was asked about the Pelican's strong preseason start in an interview following practice on Thursday, and the 25-year-old power forward had a cautious outlook for his team.

"We have some things to work on as a team, but overall I felt we got what we needed to get out of it," Williamson (via Pelicans). "Individually, there a lot of things that I feel like I could have did better. The first game, rebounding was definitely one. And just getting into sets, even if they don't score, instead of just being all over the place.

Williamson is the face of the franchise, but after a career that has so far been bogged down by injuries, he is looking forward to not only a healthy season but a productive one. Staying so focused on the ways he can improve on his play is surely a good sign for the Pelicans as Williamson is looking to get out the get and make an impact on the court.

Health and a Deep Roster are the Keys to Pelican Success

Injuries troubled the entirety of the Pelicans roster last season, leading to their underperformance. Team mainstays like Williamson, Dejounte Murray and Trey Murphy III all missed large swaths of games due to injury, leaving New Orleans significantly shorthanded.

With a now mostly healthy roster that has been deepened with impact scorers like Jordan Poole, who is projected to average 23.5 points per game this season, according to Basketball Reference, the Pelicans will have a fighting chance to return to playoff contention.

Williamson is looking forward to sharing the court with Poole full-time, and the preseason has given them the opportunity to build team chemistry.

"It's going to be exciting out there on the court with him because he brings energy and he's a competitor," Williamson said of Poole. "He won a ring so he knows what it takes to get there and having that experience on this team with him alone is big for us."

Health will be the major thing to watch in New Orleans as the season progresses, but the team has so far shown signs of good chemistry and play-making in their two 100+ point performances this preseason against both Melbourne PNX and Melbourne United, teams New Orleans faced during an unprecedented preseason trip to Australia.

Back stateside, the Pelicans will be tested against a fellow NBA team for the first time when they face off against the Houston Rockets on Tuesday, Oct. 14 and an idea of New Orleans' chances at contending in the West will be truly tested.

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