Why is everyone assuming Zion hates New Orleans?
“The fourth pick in the 2019 NBA Draft goes to….the Los Angeles Lakers.”
With those words, NBA Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum elevated the hopes of all Knicks fans in the Zion Williams draft, er, we mean the NBA Draft Lottery.
But as quickly as he granted hope, he quickly took it away.
“The third pick goes to….the New York Knicks.”
And just like that, Knicks fans across the world went ballistic. They’ve suffered for decades and had to experience a year of tanking this past season only to miss out on basketball megastar, Zion Williamson. But that wasn’t the only result of Tatum’s reveal.
Stories circulated that when the Knicks were slotted in the third position, Zion was taken away from the backroom quickly, preventing him from answering any questions.
Zion Williamson was QUICKLY whisked out of the room after Pelicans were announced the winner of the draft lottery. Source said the former Duke star was rooting to go to New York, but now is going to New Orleans.
— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpears) May 15, 2019
Now chatter has arisen that Zion could force a trade a la Eli Manning, or that he could go back to Duke. While that’s a possibility based upon the fact that Zion still retains his college eligibility as he hasn’t signed with an agent or secured a sneaker deal, it’s a rumor that’s been shot down by his stepfather.
“Nothing we have even considered,” said Lee Anderson on ESPN 104.5 about going back to the Blue Devils. Zion and his family are excited about his position and possible/pending future in New Orleans.
“We’re excited about that. One thing that Zion has always been taught: You accept the things that you can’t change, you change the things that you can change. And this is one of the things that he had nothing to do with,” said Anderson in that interview. “It’s the process of the NBA and certainly we’re excited about the Crescent City down there in New Orleans.”
While Zion would definitely thrive in the Big Apple, the New York fan disappointment has clouded the reality that Zion is in a great position. First off, there’s nothing wrong with New Orleans. Secondly, in today’s social media dominated world, all markets can thrive in sports; just look at teams like the Saints and the Oklahoma City Thunder.
But for now, team Zion is content with his current status and they’re not rushing to do anything just yet.
“We just feel there’s no real rush to do this right now. We just want to make sure. You don’t get many opportunities in life to have the leverage and the opportunity to control your own narrative,” said Anderson. “So, therefore, we feel like we are in a position right now to do that. … We don’t want to look back and have regrets about it, we just want to make sure that we do it right.”
While Knicks fans are hoping Zion pulls an Eli, or that they somehow pry Anthony Davis from the Pelicans, New Orleans, and Zion are both sitting pretty right now.
