Just three years into his career, Zion Williamson has become one of the most mysterious players in the NBA.
Besides questions about his health and durability, the young star has sparked doubts about his commitment to the Pelicans organization.
But in a chat with The Sporting News, New Orleans Pastor Dale Sanders challenged the notion that Zion was ready to leave the city. After spotting Williamson as a guest in Sunday’s service, he had a chance to speak with the young stud himself.
“I think he’s in great spirits because I literally had to have one of my deacons pull him out of the crowd. They didn’t want to let him go, and he didn’t want to let them go. He took a lot of pictures and talked with a lot of people. He didn’t seem to be in any way, shape or form distant. He’s ready to do what he came here to do, is what it appeared to me.”
“It sounds different from what’s being portrayed, and he looks a lot different from what’s been portrayed. He looks to be in a lot better shape than they’ve been letting on,” Sanders said with a laugh. “You could see that from the pictures.”
“To be honest with you, [Zion’s] exact words to me were that he loved the city,” Sanders said. “The only thing I know from him personally is that he’s excited about being back and he wants to get back into the saddle as fast as he physically can.”
Williamson, 21, hasn’t played since the 2020-21 season when he averaged 27 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game on 61% shooting.
After dealing with a nagging foot injury, Zion was officially ruled out for the rest of this season, leaving fans to wait further for his highly-anticipated return.
Until then, people will continue to speculate on his long-term future as a Pelican.
