It takes a lot to push through the professional mask athletes wear on game night. However, a shout following pregame warmups would stick with Zion Williamson's New Orleans Pelicans until long after the final buzzer. For just a few seconds before facing Ja Morant's trash-talking Memphis Grizzlies, the night belonged to a simple, good-natured moment.
While heading off the court, the 25-year-old All-Star forward was working his way along the tunnel, signing memorabilia. Then it happened. A wide, genuine grin gave it all away. Williamson heard it; the mask was removed for a second. The Duke alum known for seriously earth-shattering dunks began a jog to the locker room because an obvious around-eight-year-old's shout accomplished something few in the world would attempt: they stopped the 6-foot-6 phenom in his tracks.
“Mister Zion!”
Williamson couldn't hold the laugh in. A joke about it from ClutchPoints brought out another chuckle.
“Man, ‘Mister Zion,' Williamson goofed, “I'm still only 25 years old.”
The comment and postgame reaction highlight Williamson's current unique position. Zion's anything has always been a 1-of-1 situation. A former No. 1 overall pick, the Spartanburg, SC native has been a household name for over half a decade. Williamson is a veritable veteran in the eyes of the basketball world. Yet, at just 25, Big Z is also just a young man still early in his prime.
Zion Williamson done biding time
The juxtaposition to the actual game was striking. A pregame moment that felt like a neighborhood interaction, and a game that showed both Williamson’s all-world talent and the Pelicans’ vulnerability. Williamson’s laugh in the tunnel underlined how much remains public performance for a player who’s spent much of his career oscillating between highlight reels and injury lists. He is “still only 25” after all, early in an arc of what the basketball world hopes will be a long, dominant peak.
That make-or-break narrative has followed Williamson for years. Between weight fluctuations, off-court drama, and injuries, questions about availability abound. Joe Dumars came in with a supposed accountability-based mandate, and a lack of social media highlighted offseason work has only amplified the scrutiny. At media day, Williamson and Dumars talked about embracing significant responsibilities. The slimmer, more consistent presence in training camp was well-chronicled heading into this opener.
Still, for the fans who get those in-arena moments an hour before tipoff, the player behind the headlines sometimes shows up. “Mister Zion,” yelled by a single spectator, did more than get a laugh; it punctured the distance between celebrity and person for a beat. For a city that lives and breathes its basketball, those beats matter as much as the box score right now.
On the court, though, the Pelicans will take the lesson from the final minutes. Talented and emotionally buoyant as Williamson can be, basketball is decided by runs, rotations, and late possessions. As New Orleans looks to rebound from the season-opening defeat, Williamson's ability to maintain his sense of humor might prove just as valuable as his athleticism. After all, staying grounded when fans treat you like basketball royalty requires a certain self-awareness.
The Pelicans face the San Antonio Spurs in their home opener on Friday night at the Smoothie King Center. Hometown fans may not address their star as “Mister Zion,” given the relationship. If they do though, the All-Star will appreciate the humor.
