Pelicans Media Day 2021: Zion Williamson and Top Interviews, Videos

The New Orleans Pelicans are among the NBA teams with the most to prove in the 2021-22 season.

The Pels disappointed after being a preseason darling, finishing as the No. 11 seed in the West and not even making it to the play-in tournament. With pressure mounting in the locker room and front office, Pelicans players looked to create a sense of confidence Monday at media day. 

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David Griffin on Zion's Injury, Building a Winner

The biggest news coming out of David Griffin's presser was Zion Williamson's previously unknown foot injury. Williamson fractured the fifth metatarsal of his right foot but is expected to be available for the start of the regular season.

"He was working out on his own on the court, and frankly was doing an unbelievable job, it's crazy sometimes what happens when you look your best," Griffin told reporters. "But he was doing that prior to summer league and suffered the injury on the court while playing."

Williamson and his family met with team staff Sunday to go over his expected recovery period. There have been reports that Williamson "detested" the Pelicans' handling of his return from a knee injury during his rookie season, so it was clear Griffin wanted the collaborative nature of this effort to be public.

As Griffin faces mounting pressure to create a winner around Williamson, he maintained his overarching goal is to build a team with sustainable success.

"We're trying to build a team that understands how to win in a sustainable way. That understands key moments in games and recognizes those moments and seizes them. This team was really young when we put it together—it continues to be fairly young—but I think we've got young veterans now. We're learning how to win," Griffin said.

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Zion Williamson on Rumors of His Unhappiness

As for Williamson himself, he spent a lot of time dispelling rumors, including one very important one: No, Griffin did not play piano for him in the NBA bubble.

"Guys, I'm not letting a grown man come to my hotel room and play a piano for me," Williamson said, laughing.

Williamson's future with the Pelicans has been the source of speculation throughout the offseason, and the third-year forward did his best to squash any thought of him leaving New Orleans.

"I love it here. I love the city of New Orleans. I don't want to be anywhere else...It's all love with me and Griff. It ain't much to dive into. It's just love between us. We're both competitors, we both want to win. Do we disagree on some things? Yeah, who agrees on everything?"

That sound you heard was a collective sigh of relief emanating from the city of New Orleans.

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Brandon Ingram on Becoming a Leader, Getting Better in Offseason

Coming off what some would consider a disappointing 2020-21 season, Brandon Ingram appears to be motivated to bounce back. Both Griffin and coach Willie Green complimented Ingram for going out of his way this offseason to take on a bigger leadership role with the franchise.

"I don't think it's nothin' extra I did. It's just me wanting to be around my teammates, me just trying to get the best out of this thing. We want to win, ultimately, and to win we have to know each other on the offensive and defensive end and be ready for whatever comes," Ingram said.

Ingram added that he went to work getting stronger and working on his defensive game, saying he wants to "have a better presence" on that end of the floor.

"I'm hoping that trickles down to everyone on the team, just having that as our identity this year. We know we can score the basketball. I think it's gonna be important for us to dial in on the defensive end and grow as men," Ingram said.

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Willie Green on Embracing New Orleans

Green, in his first NBA head coaching job, is Griffin's second hire in as many offseasons and knows the pressure is mounting. The former NBA guard says he sees some of the same hunger he saw as an assistant in Phoenix.

"We got a lot of hungry young guys who are ready to take the next step. When I got to Phoenix, that's what I saw immediately and that's what I see here in New Orleans. Along with that, our city, this city, and our fans, are hungry for it too," Green said.

Green added that he sees an opportunity for the Pelicans to bring the city together in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida, which created massive damage throughout Louisiana earlier this year.