Kawhi Leonard Says He Thought Zion Williamson 'Played Great' in Pelicans' Loss

Even though Zion Williamson scored just seven points in 14 minutes during the New Orleans Pelicans' loss to the Los Angeles Clippers, he did enough to impress Kawhi Leonard.

"I thought he played great," Leonard said of Williamson, per Joe Vardon of The Athletic. "He's a very high-energy guy. He's playing to win. I'm not sure if he's on minute restriction or not. I didn't really get to see him."

Williamson left the team's bubble in Orlando and is still getting into shape during the Pelicans' seeding games. He played 15 minutes in Thursday's loss to the Utah Jazz and was held back once again Saturday against the Clippers.

Though Williamson did have five rebounds in limited playing time, his seven points were a career low in 21 appearances, and he finished minus-17 on the court.

We have definitely seen much more from the rookie, who was averaging 23.6 points and 6.8 rebounds per game before the season was suspended in March due to the coronavirus. His numbers in Orlando haven't lived up to the hype, but his style of play is still obvious. 

"I like guys that approach the game aggressively and have high energy on that level," Leonard added, per Shane Young of Forbes.

Williamson also showcased his talent during the opening game against the Jazz:

The hope is he will get more opportunities down the line.