Zion Williamson’s high school coach, Lee Sartor, says playing for the New Orleans Pelicans will be “a great opportunity for Zion.”
The Pelicans will select Williamson with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, which is on June 20. Sartor says he knew Williamson was never going to go back to Duke once the Pelicans won the draft lottery because that's not the way Zion is built.
“I think it’ll be a great opportunity for Zion,” Sartor told Will Guillory of The Athletic. “I think at the end of the day, his goal was to make it to the NBA and it seems like that’s going to come true. I believe he’s the type of person that, no matter what team drafts him, they are going to get all of Zion. If the Pelicans draft Zion, they will get all of Zion and they will have the opportunity to get much better in a hurry.
“I know Zion and I know his heart and I know how hard he’s worked to put himself in position to be able to play in the NBA one day. Going backwards was never in his mindset. I know Zion is appreciative of the process and I believe no matter who drafts him that he would be happy and ready to go out and do what he can to help make that franchise better.”




The Pelicans are still hoping superstar big man Anthony Davis will change his mind about wanting to be traded so they can have AD, Williamson and Jrue Holiday as a “Big 3” next season.
However, all signs point toward Davis still wanting to be moved, which means the Pelicans are going to hand the keys over to Williamson.