Tag: Zion Williamson

Ja Morant is the favorite to win Rookie of the Year in updated odds

With Zion Williamson sidelined, Morant has established himself as the top rookie of the class after his tremendous start.

Memphis Grizzlies first-round pick Ja Morant is the favorite to win the 2019-20 NBA Rookie of the Year award, according to online sportsbook SportsBetting.ag.

With Zion Williamson sidelined this season following knee surgery, Morant has established himself as the top rookie of the class after his tremendous start.

The second overall pick is averaging 19.1 points, 6.4 assists, 3.1 rebounds and 1.3 steals in 18 games this season. Morant is leading all rookies in scoring average and assists, while he is fourth in 3-point percentage (43.2) among first-year players to appear in at least 10 games.

While Morant is the favorite now in the updated odds released on Tuesday, Eric Paschall and Kendrick Nunn have gained traction in the race after their strong starts to the season. The two players are second and third in scoring, respectively, among all rookies.

The full odds for the top seven, via SportsBetting:

  1. Ja Morant: +150
  2. Eric Paschall: +500
  3. Kendrick Nunn: +500
  4. Zion Williamson: +500
  5. R.J. Barrett: +600
  6. Rui Hachimura: +1000
  7. Coby White: +1600

As the NBA recently crossed over the quarter mark of the season, the odds will certainly continue to fluctuate as players separate themselves from the rest of the pack.

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WATCH: Pelicans planning load management for Zion Williamson

The New Orleans Pelicans’ No.1 overall draft pick will be limited whenever he makes his NBA regular-season debut.

Zion Williamson is getting load managed.

The New Orleans Pelicans’ No.1 overall draft pick will not be thrown into big minutes night after night when he makes his NBA regular-season debut.

Although the Pelicans are 6-16 on the season and riding a 7-game losing streak. The Pelicans organization has been cautious with its young superstar. New Orleans has made the playoffs only three times in the past ten years with one appearance in the Conference Semifinals.

Pelicans vice president of basketball operations David Griffin says, “He very likely will not be asked to take the pounding of back-to-backs initially,” Griffin said, via ESPN.

Drew Brees gifts signed jersey to rising pro tennis star Madison Keys

New Orleans Saints QB Drew Brees gifted a signed jersey to Women’s Tennis Association professional Madison Keys, a rising star in the sport.

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New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees is a month-and-some-change away from his 41st birthday, and the Hall of Fame-bound passer appears to have take an increased interest in what younger athletes are accomplishing, or about to — like the arrival of New Orleans Pelicans rookie Zion Williamson, who received an autographed jersey as a housewarming gift from Brees. He’s offered his advice to Williamson as a mentor, and done the same for phenomenal Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson.

But Brees isn’t limiting his attention to basketball and football. Before committing himself to football, he famously competed against Andy Roddick when they were both in school together. The future men’s tennis world champion says that he initially won twice, but defeated Brees so soundly he hung up his racket and focused on football.

So it’s clear that Brees is still keeping up with the goings-on in a sport he once considered, and reached out to professional women’s tennis player Madison Keys. Keys recently won the 2019 Cincinnati Open in her first career Premier 5 title, putting her on the map as a potential heir to superstars Venus and Serena Williams in a few years.

Keys received a No. 1 jersey from the Saints that was signed by Brees, and she took the time to thank him in a video from the official Women’s Tennis Association Twitter account, expressing gratitude and excitement at displaying it in her home. Check it out in the video embedded below, or by following this link:

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Report: Zion Williamson will return after initial 6-8 week timetable

Zion Williamson will reportedly return to the court after the initial 6-8 week timetable following knee surgery on Oct. 21.

New Orleans Pelicans rookie Zion Williamson will reportedly return to the court after the initial 6-8 week timetable given by the organization, according to Kristen Ledlow of Turner Sports.

As the Pelicans hosted the Dallas Mavericks Tuesday night on TNT, Ledlow updated viewers that the No. 1 overall pick has not suffered any setbacks in his recovery following knee surgery on Oct. 21 but will “definitely” return to the court outside of the 6-8 week window.

Monday marked six weeks since Williamson underwent arthroscopic surgery to address a torn right lateral meniscus. Pelicans head coach Alvin Gentry said that the former Duke star has not started on-court work yet and the organization will not rush him back. However, Ledlow stated on the broadcast that Williamson has begun doing some light work on the court.

The Pelicans have long stated that they will not rush Williamson back following his knee surgery so the news on Tuesday night may not be all that surprising. Given his injury history over the past year, the Pelicans want to make sure Williamson is 100% ready to play once they clear him.

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Zion Williamson still hasn’t started on-court work after knee surgery

Monday marked six weeks since Zion Williamson underwent arthroscopic surgery to address a torn right lateral meniscus.

New Orleans Pelicans head coach Alvin Gentry said on Monday that No. 1 overall pick Zion Williamson hasn’t started on-court activities yet after undergoing knee surgery on Oct. 21.

Monday marked six weeks since Williamson underwent arthroscopic surgery to address a torn right lateral meniscus. Williamson was initially given a 6-8 week timetable to return to play.

Gentry told reporters on Nov. 21 that the organization would not rush Williamson back to the court and added that his recovery is on time and going smoothly.

On Monday, Gentry reiterated that stance, according to Will Guillory of The Athletic.

I think he is fine. I don’t think it’s anything that can be rushed. I think it’s a timing thing. Six weeks is what we said but, obviously, he is making progress. When the time comes for him to start on-court [activities] and things like that, he will. It’s not anything that is going to be rushed. It’s just a matter of taking the time to make sure he’s fine.

Williamson previously suffered an injury to his right knee last season while playing at Duke after he attempted to make a cut on the floor when his Nike shoe blew out.

He also suffered a bone bruise on his left knee that limited him to just one game in Summer League so the Pelicans will certainly take their time with his recovery.

Without Williamson, the Pelicans are 6-14 this season.

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Oklahoma City has advantage inside with Steven Adams against Pelicans

Matched up against rookie Jaxson Hayes on Friday, Adams scored the Thunder’s first three baskets and started the game 5-of-5 from the floor.

There is an obvious benefit to playing the same team twice within a span of three days.

What the Thunder learned from their win over New Orleans Friday night can be directly applied to Oklahoma City’s game against the Pelicans on Sunday afternoon.

One of the biggest takeaways from Friday’s victory is that New Orleans doesn’t have the personnel inside to match up with Steven Adams.

Without Zion Williamson, who is not expected to return until later in December following his October surgery to address a torn right lateral meniscus, and Derrick Favors, the Pelicans were forced to use rookie Jaxson Hayes on Adams.

As noted by Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman, Adams has a “45-pound advantage over Hayes and exploited it right away”.

Adams scored Oklahoma City’s first three baskets in their 109-104 win on Friday. He started 5-of-5 from the field but cooled down considerably after the first quarter, finishing the night 7-of-11 for 14 points en route to a double-double as he also grabbed 12 boards.

Adams should have the same advantage on Sunday. Favors is questionable to play, meaning that it will likely be Hayes and Jhalil Okafor splitting time down low.

Look for Oklahoma City to go to the Kiwi early and often to try and establish an interior presence that could subsequently free up some of the Thunder’s perimeter shooters.

OKC will try and complete the home-and-home sweep when they tip-off against the Pelicans inside the Smoothie King Center Sunday at 4 p.m. CT.

Alvin Gentry: Pelicans will not rush Zion Williamson back from injury

Pelicans head coach Alvin Gentry reiterated on Thursday that the organization will not rush Zion Williamson back after knee surgery.

New Orleans Pelicans head coach Alvin Gentry said on Thursday that the organization will not rush first-round pick Zion Williamson back from knee surgery.

The No.1 overall selection underwent arthroscopic surgery on Oct. 21 to address a torn right lateral meniscus and was given a 6-8 week timetable to return, which would have him returning to the court in early December.

Williamson told a group of reporters on Nov. 7 in his first public appearance since the surgery that he is taking his rehab day by day, adding that he would not rush back to the court.

On Thursday, his head coach reiterated that statement.

Everything is fine. Everything is progressing as it should. It’s a time thing. We’re not going to rush it and he’s not going to rush it. As far as the progress that he’s making, everything is fine and right on time.

Williamson previously suffered an injury to his right knee last season at Duke after he attempted to make a cut on the floor when his Nike shoe blew out. He also suffered a bone bruise on his left knee that limited him to just one game in Summer League so the Pelicans will certainly take their time with his recovery.

Without Williamson, the Pelicans are 5-9 this season after winning four out of their last six games heading into Thursday night’s matchup against the Phoenix Suns.

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Zion Williamson is still reppin’ Jordan Brand off of the court

Zion Williamson hasn’t yet suited up during the regular season for the Pelicans but the No. 1 overall pick is still endorsing Jordan Brand.

Zion Williamson hasn’t yet suited up during the regular season for the New Orleans Pelicans but the No. 1 overall pick is still endorsing Jordan Brand off of the court.

Of course, Williamson inked a five-year, $75 million endorsement deal with Jordan Brand over the summer to become the new face of the apparel company. He helped launch the new Air Jordan XXXIV in September and has also appeared in a new commercial for the shoe.

While Williamson is still likely at least a month away, at the earliest, from returning to the court, he is still rockin’ Jordan Brand at Pelicans home games as he has been seen entering the arena wearing the Jumpman logo on a few different occasions.

Speaking for the first time publicly a few weeks ago, Williamson said that his recovery has been going well and that he is taking it day by day. The Pelicans originally provided a timetable to return in 6-8 weeks from his surgery date, which would be around the middle of December at the earliest.

In the meantime, Williamson will continue wearing the latest gear from Jordan.

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Jordan-Shaq factor: Early grades for the top 15 picks in 2019 draft

While keeping the Jordan-Shaq Factor in mind, we have made some early grades for the first 15 players selected in the 2019 NBA Draft.

With each new NBA draft class, there’s always hope—argumentatively speaking—that one select rookie will one day become the next Shaq or the “Air Apparent.” And that’s still a problematic prognostication, especially this early in a rookie’s career. (It’s almost impossible if we’re honest.)

But Michael Jordan, who dropped 45 against San Antonio in only his ninth game, and Shaquille O’Neal, who was averaging double-doubles with ease at the same point, do highlight a key benchmark: Grading rookies this early in the season, looking for signs of possible elite talent, can be done.

So, while keeping that Jordan-Shaq Factor in mind, let’s take a look at the early grades for the top 15 picks from the 2019 draft.

15th pick: Sekou Doumbouya

(Photo by Chris Schwegler/NBAE via Getty Images)

Taken out of the French League by the Pistons, Sekou Doumbouya is only 18 years old—that’s young. But if he’s developed in the G League and becomes something close to one of the NBA stars he looks up to—Pascal Siakam—then look out!

Early Grade: TBD

Sekou Doumbouya :: Romeo Langford :: Tyler Herro :: P.J. Washington :: Cam Johnson :: Cam Reddish :: Rui Hachimura :: Jaxson Hayes :: Coby White :: Jarrett Culver :: Darius Garland :: De’Andre Hunter :: R.J. Barrett :: Ja Morant :: Zion Williamson

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