NBA - New Orleans Pelicans Media Day - 2019

Today's the day! We're a few hours away from things starting properly, but today is media day, and the NBA is officially back. After this, we'll get training camp: we're only a couple of weeks away from pre-season, and there's just under a month of waiting before the regular season kicks off again and we can get to watching the new and exciting Pelicans.

Media day brings a bunch of things that are exciting to fans. Firstly, we're going to get official pictures: so we'll finally see Zion suited up in a Pelicans uniform with Jrue, Favors, and the ex-Lakers.

The most exciting thing though, I would think, has to be the interviews. Many players will get interviewed today, at least a little bit, and I'll be doing my best to keep the thread updated with it. When I can catch an interview live, I'll do a rough on-the-spot transcription, and I'll keep the embedded tweets coming to supply anything that I miss myself.

Obviously we're going to hear from Zion, obviously we're going to hear from Jrue, obviously we're going to hear from Griff. I'm excited for all of that, to hear what they're going to say and how they're going to present the team this year. But what's also super interesting to me is hearing from some of the people who haven't talked much during the offseason: are we going to hear much from Favors? What about Ingram, who has spent most of the summer in silence? Maybe we won't, but it'll be interesting to keep up with.

In any case, it's finally media day! Gonna get a lot to talk about.

It’s #Pelicans media day! ��

Stay tuned for live coverage and interviews starting at 11 am CT! #WontBowDown pic.twitter.com/StVEnStmIB

— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) September 30, 2019

David Griffin says that Zion loves to be in the gym (I'm sure you all can tell), but that he gains muscle very quickly, which of course adds weight, so you almost don't want him lifting too much.

— Andrew Smith写真家 (@DruProductions) September 30, 2019

Griffin on the Jeff Bzdelik hiring: "If we could've handpicked to bring somebody in, it would have been him."

— The Bird Writes (@thebirdwrites) September 30, 2019

David Griffin says in all his years in the NBA, he hasn’t seen as many players as he has here get into camp as early as they did. Adds they’ve seen a solid core of 15-16 players at the facility the last 3 weeks or so.

— Andrew Lopez (@_Andrew_Lopez) September 30, 2019

Griffin: Brandon (Ingram) is one of the many pieces on this team that's versatile on both ends. We want to see what he looks like with this team before we start looking ahead (to possible extension talks)

— Will Guillory (@WillGuillory) September 30, 2019

Looks like Griff is with those of us who say to wait and see before extending.

Griff says Jeff Bzdelik re-energized the coaching staff and brings a love of learning and teaching. Say Bzdelik brings a next play mentality rather than focusing on failures.

— Shamit Dua (@FearTheBrown) September 30, 2019

David Griffin "We are here to beat people's ******"

Idk, I might like this more than WBD.

— Andrew Smith写真家 (@DruProductions) September 30, 2019

Griffin: Nickeil Alexander-Walker came in with the mentality that he will be getting minutes and no one will stop him. If he doesn't get playing time, it'll definitely be a shock to him.

— Will Guillory (@WillGuillory) September 30, 2019

This is exactly what you wanna see from a rookie. By the mid season, Im sure he will be playing. He's shown so much more than Frank Jackson, and has all the possibility in the world to usurp Moore: he's certainly more versatile than both. He can shoot, he can pass, he can defend.

NAW needs Minutes.

Gentry is going into his fifth year as Pelicans' head coach and says he's never seen this much excitement from fans and people around the city until this year.

— Andrew Lopez (@_Andrew_Lopez) September 30, 2019

Alvin: I think we'll be disappointed if we are not a top 10 defensive team

— Shamit Dua (@FearTheBrown) September 30, 2019

With a team built like ours is, and Bzdelik on board, I'd be damned disappointed too. Obviously the season may start slow, but if we're not a top then defense post Christmas, then something is going a bit off.

As a side note, I'm not really posting the super obvious stuff that we've heard a billion times already. So yes, Gentry has spent a while talking about how Zion isn't here to be a saviour, and Griff did talk about Leadership Jrue, but I'm not posting that stuff because none of it's news.

Media day �� @Zionwilliamson | @ZO2_ | @B_Ingram13 pic.twitter.com/ndZnLp4582

— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) September 30, 2019

Okay so, I know this picture is hard to tell heights from. It's from a distance, taken from the hard left, might not be entirely balanced from top to bottom, BUT this picture is really hard to gain heights from.

We know Lonzo is 6'7 in shoes: at least, that's what he's claimed multiple times in interviews this summer.

Zion looks a touch taller than Lonzo, but not by a huge amount.

But then he also looks like the same height as Ingram, who is listed at 6'9 but who many people think is more like 6'10, or even 6'11.

So how tall are these people?!?

And so it begins....#WBD @PelicansNBA �� #NBA pic.twitter.com/K6lQBGq0E8

— Swin Cash (@SwinCash) September 30, 2019

I have a feeling that some of these official pics are going to be fire

Jrue Holiday says he's going to approach the game the same way, but he did work on a few things this offseason. With his next breath, he noted the importance of three-point shooting in the NBA today.

— The Bird Writes (@thebirdwrites) September 30, 2019

This is what so many of us have hoped to see. If Jrue can maintain his volume but have a return to form in efficiency, shooting 36% or more, he'll be legitimately unguardable. 25ppg year incoming, if he can do that.

If he can return to his career best, back from years ago, when he was a 39% shooter? Then damn. MVP SEASON.

Jrue Holiday on Zion: "He's a mutant"

— Will Guillory (@WillGuillory) September 30, 2019

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Pelicanidae

David Griffin "We are here to beat people's ******"

Idk, I might like this more than WBD.

— Andrew Smith写真家 (@DruProductions) September 30, 2019

---

I'm loving this quote :cool:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Creative

I'm loving this quote :cool:

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Oh for sure, it's great. That's the attitude you want, 99% of the time.

JJ Redick: "I expect for us to make the playoffs."

— The Bird Writes (@thebirdwrites) September 30, 2019

Exactly what you wanna hear. Redick also called Zion a ''beautiful human'', so if he's saying this and Jrue's saying he's a mutant, then we have a beautiful mutant on our hands.

JJ Redick on making the playoffs potentially for 14 years in a row: "I said to Zion a few weeks ago, 'look man, don't ******** this up for me'"

— Shamit Dua (@FearTheBrown) September 30, 2019

:hihi:

Zion's at the podium:

''When I'm walking up and down the streets, I'll see these kids. With gallons of water, or a bucket, making the best beats I've ever heard, and they're 12 or 13. A bucket they probably just found, and nobody knows about this. Stuff like that gives the city a lot of spirit, and the people are very welcoming. Brees said it best: ''if you love the city, it'll love you right back''.''

On ESPN ranking him top 50:

''Can't focus on the outside stuff, I've got to focus on me and what I can do to help the Pelicans win. If I focus on stuff like that, that would be very selfish of me. We all have the same goal in mind and that's to make the playoffs and make a run.''

On workouts: ''I've been working on my flexibility a lot.''

''I know I'm in the right place. With Jrue, and JJ, and E'twaun, since I've been here they've been giving great advice. Whenever they think I'm overthinking things, or being stressed, they're the ones who come to me and say ''relax. Play the game you love'', and those are the small things that make it easier and let me just get it going.''

''The Jordan brand event that I did in Harlem, that was a lot of fun. Just because I'm around other kids, and they look up to me, and they're telling me what they want me to do this season and what they expect and it means a lot to me. I remember being in their position and looking at other people and hoping they do well this season.''

On the mixture of ages on the team: ''That's one thing different about coming into the league. I had to practice in Duke, and then class tomorrow. Here, ''yo, E'twaun is there a food spot you're trying to go to?'', nah he's got stuff to handle. Or JJ, he's got kids. Kids? I'm 19... It's kinda funny, and it's great because I'm bonding with people my age but then there are people like E'twaun, JJ, Jrue who have done this for many years and know what it takes to be successful.''

Expectations from fans, especially younger fans: ''Kids, they be so hype. They want a between the legs, reverse, etc, and I'm just like let's make the dunk. Nah, they're saying they just want me to go out there and prove the doubters wrong and for me to just be me. And hearing that from a little kid, that hits different.''

''I'm like... man, this state is just love.''

On 2K: ''My guy is not that good in 2k. He's slower than I'd like him, but it's fine. It's weird, on these AAU trips when you're younger and you're playing with your friends, and then you slide over to the right or the left to switch teams and boom. You don't have to create a player or anything, you're already there. But I just wanna stay here for a long time.''

On JJ's playoff streak and if he did say that thing: ''He did, it was so funny he had just given me some great advice and then the whole mood shifted. He was like, I'm 13 for 13, don't mess this up for me. And I'm like, JJ, why are you telling me? I'm a rookie.''

''I want all the advice I can get, because everyone has different perspectives and I can bring them together and find out what works for me.''

Great little chat from Zion here, lots of interesting things.

"It's a blessing to be here" - @Zionwilliamson pic.twitter.com/Dbzz0Zjl6b

— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) September 30, 2019

Zion Williamson on taking the practice court as a professional once training camp opens: “This is what the dream is about. Making it to the league and making an impact. That impact starts tomorrow.”

— Trevor Ritchie (@ritchietmr) September 30, 2019

Ingram says he's looking to eat some good food while experiencing New Orleans culture. Then he added, "It looks like I need it" and cracked a rare smile.

Who else is loving all this playful banter from most of the Pelicans players thus far today???

— The Bird Writes (@thebirdwrites) September 30, 2019

INGRAM on the podium.

Some more Ingram stuff:

On Injury: ''Everything that I went through, I knew I could get through. So everything the doctor's said, I just did it, and I felt like I was progressing every single week.''

Says he's not on any medication anymore.

On roster construction and his role: ''I've got to ask coach what he wants me to do. I wanna do everything that I'm capable of doing, and show it full force out on the court.''

On pace and tempo with Pels: ''I think the ability to stretch and get to the basket, with my ability to run the wing with the other guys, pushing the pace off of the rebound, there's different variations. I could be all over the floor with my teammates, pushing the tempo and just finding the best shot. Defensively we can be really good. It starts with good principles. We can all have the talent, but we've just got to be there for each other and trust each other. Stay in front of our man, and be behind each other. ''

GREAT statement there on the defense. Love to hear that.

On taking more threes in this offense: ''I've spent time on all parts of my game. Whatever you name, I can say I've spent time in the gym working on all parts of my game, so I'm sure that whatever coach Alvin wants to run, I'll be pretty fine in it.''

Favors is at the podium, and he has a mini-fro. Amazing. Jesus Christ he talks fast, though, did not realise that. Killed my hands to type this up and keep pace with him.

On the opportunity to showcase his game: ''Thats one of the main reasons that I wanted to come here. I saw the potential for the team and where I could fit in, and I knew that Utah was in a position where they needed to shed salary so I asked if they could trade me to New Orleans. And they did, and I'm appreciative of it, and I'm excited to show things that I wasn't able to show in the previous couple of years.''

''There was other teams, but I thought New Orleans was the best shot for me, with how the team was structured and how I could contribute. I just wanted to be here, and come down south.''

On defense: ''We can be really good. We have a lot more athleticism here than we did in Utah, not saying anything bad about Utah, but we have the guys who are athletic, who have the ability to switch one through five and just play positionless basketball, that's the direction that the league is going in, and we can do that.''

On Zion: ''He's a different animal in person than on TV. He's a good dude to be around, not cocky or anything like that, always joking. I think he's going to have a big year this year. You can tell when he steps on the court that his body doesn't look like a rookie, he looks like a 10, 11 year vet already. He's going to have a good year this year.''

Moments with Zion: ''He's made a couple of plays in the pickup games we've played where you're like, man! You don't see somebody his size who can do things like that.''

On Zion's rookie progression: ''Some games, hes going to have great games, scoring 20 or 30, and then other games he might score 10. So for him, he just needs not to pay attention to the outside noise. Just to deal with it, and go through it.''

''Obviously we're going to have some ups and downs this season, there's young guys, but I think we can get there.''

On young guys like Jaxson and Zion: ''Just giving them the stuff that I learned through the years, as far as being in the correct position and being able to communicate. To protect the rim, you've got to be vocal, you've got to be the linebacker, directing people, doing those little things and just staying level headed with it. You won't block every shot, you can't stop every player on every play, but you've just got to keep working, keep studying the game, and keep getting better.''

''With respect to the Saints, I'm a fan of football. It's a rivalry, but it's all fun. I wouldn't come here with a Falcons shirt or anything. [...] It's not weird, but I know people round here who take it serious though. An Uber driver, I told him I was from Atlanta, and he asked me who my team was and I was like ''I don't know if I should tell you!''''

On playing the 5 full time: ''I'm happy about it, I'm excited about it. Obviously Rudy is a great player and I've been with him a couple of years and it's going to be a lot different not having him there, but he learned all his defensive stuff from me [laughs], so I'm excited, ready for the challenge.''

''If you're on a team with good veterans and you don't try to learn from them, you're not going to last long in this league.'' - Josh Hart

#NBARooks x @PelicansNBA #NBAMediaDay @Zionwilliamson @hayes_jaxson @TheReal_NAW1 pic.twitter.com/rGYmEbGwEb

— NBA Draft (@NBADraft) September 30, 2019

#rooks