The corner of the Grand Hyatt Ballroom felt like the subway at rush hour. Writers, photographers and cameramen were all jockeying for position, trying to box each other out just to get in a few questions for Zion Williamson.
This wasn’t a media scrum. It was a media mob.
All for the player some believe is the best NBA prospect since LeBron James, the virtual-lock No. 1 pick in Thursday’s draft at Barclays Center, the phenom who has more than 3 million Instagram followers, drew former President Barack Obama to a game and whose dunks were immediate viral sensations. Williamson, the 6-foot-7, 285-pound freak of a forward, was The Show in the hour of access for the 20 players who received green room invites, the future face of the Pelicans who took college basketball by storm last season.
As he did for the Blue Devils when he overshadowed fellow projected top-10 picks RJ Barrett and Cam Reddish, Williamson lived up to the hype, his warm personality on display, frequently drawing laughs from media members with his answers, and showing that humble yet confident demeanor everyone has fallen in love with.
“It’s been great, this is part of the job, this is part of being a professional athlete,” said Williamson, the Naismith National Player of the Year who averaged 22.6 points, 8.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game. “It doesn’t really bother me. If you know me, I try to make everything fun.”
It was 30 minutes of saying the right things, his infectious smile showing those pearly white teeth throughout.
Among the highlights:
Q: Can the Pelicans be a playoff team?
A: I’ll answer after Thursday night if they draft me.
Q: From 1 to 10, how excited are you about tomorrow night?
A: 100
Q: Where were you at the time the Anthony Davis trade was announced?
A: I don’t know if it was a life-changing thing. But I do remember. I was at a golfing range in Durham.
Q: What’s your best skill besides basketball?
A: Connect Four.
Q: What does it feel like being the best prospect since LeBron James (asked by former Duke teammate and consensus top-three prospect RJ Barrett)?
A: It feels like being RJ Barrett.
Q: Should we read anything into what you’re wearing today (in terms of which sneaker company he’s going to sign with)?
A: Guys, I got to wear something.
Q: What are your goals?
A: MVP, Rookie of the Year, possibly Defensive Player of the Year, Hall of Famer. If you don’t hold yourself to those standards, or try to carry yourself as such, then I don’t know what you’re striving for.
Williamson sounded excited about New Orleans, about joining the team’s young core that now features former Lakers Lonzo Ball, Josh Hart and Brandon Ingram. He had a blast in his time there. Everywhere he went, fans offered up high-fives and told him how badly he was wanted. With Davis gone, it will be his team.
“Obviously, my mindset is I think I am ready to be a face [of a franchise],” Williamson said. “If somebody doesn’t have that mindset, I don’t know if they’re playing the right sport.”
There is, of course, a lot of pressure that will go along with being the No. 1 pick. Expectations will be sky-high. James’ best friend and business partner, Maverick Carter, sees similarities between the two. ESPN analyst Jay Bilas and former NBA player Steve Smith said there has never been anyone quite like him, because of his size, quickness and strength. Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski described his athleticism as being in the top percentile in the world.
“I don’t really see it as pressure. I’m doing what I love to do and that’s play basketball,” Williamson said. “I don’t try to live up to nobody’s expectations. They can set them there, but I don’t try to live up to them. I just try to be me. … I’m just trying to be the first Zion.”
Soon, so much will change for him. He will be a multi-millionaire. Become the face of an NBA franchise. The basketball hope for a city. But based on how he has treated stardom, how he has dealt with all the attention thrown his way and how he handled his 30-minute media session Wednesday, it doesn’t appear like he will have to make many adjustments.
“I’m such a simple dude,” he said, flashing that magnetic smile of his once again. “I just want to hoop.”
