New Orleans Pelicans rookie Zion Williamson is following in the footsteps of Kevin Love, Blake Griffin and Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Williamson announced on Friday he's going to cover the salaries of Smoothie King Center employees since the NBA season has been suspended.
The Pelicans youngster wrote a heartfelt message on Instagram for everyone to read:
“The people of New Orleans have been incredibly welcoming and supportive since I was Drafted by the Pels last June, and some of the most special people I have met are those who work at smoothie King Center,” Zion Williamson wrote.
“These are the folks who make our games possible, creating the perfect environment for our fans and everyone involved in the organization. Unfortunately, many of them are still recovering from long term challenges created by Katrina, and now face the economic impact of the postponement of games because of the virus.
“My mother has always set an example for me about being respectful for others and being grateful for what we have, and so today I am pledging to cover the salaries for all of those Smoothie King Center workers for the next 30 days. This is a small way for me to express my support and appreciation for these wonderful people who have been so great to me and my teammates and hopefully we can all join together to relieve some of the stress and hardship caused by this national health crisis. This is an incredibly resilient city full of some of the most resilient people, but sometimes providing a little extra assistance can make things a little easier for the community.”
Williamson continues to show the Pelicans are in good hands with him leading the franchise, both on and off the court.
The Pelicans went 28-36 before the NBA suspended the season on Wednesday. Utah Jazz All-Stars Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell have the coronavirus.
Zion has appeared in 19 games for the Pelicans this season after missing the beginning of his rookie campaign due to knee surgery. The No. 1 overall pick from the 2019 Draft is averaging 23.6 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists while shooting 58.9 percent from the field, 46.2 percent from beyond the arc and 64.5 percent from the free-throw line.