Zion Williamson couldn’t resist the temptation to make a statement.
His New Orleans Pelicans had all but wrapped up a mid-season win over the Phoenix Suns, but he had a clear path to the basket and pent up frustration from the helpless feeling of being sidelined when these teams met in the playoffs last summer.
So, with fewer than five seconds left in the game, he took flight for a one-handed 360 windmill dunk that brought fans at Smoothie King Center to their feet and Suns players to the Pelicans bench.
With that, the former Duke standout let the world know he was back — and the Pelicans weren’t backing down from anyone.
ZION WINDMILL 😱😱😱
THEN BOTH TEAMS GOT CHIPPY! pic.twitter.com/uLdZAwvDkQ
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) December 10, 2022
Williamson’s stellar first half of the season led to a second career all-star nod and first as a starter, something he called a “real honor,” in a conversation with FTW during All-Star weekend about his partnership with Starry, the NBA’s newest official soft drink.
The former No. 1 overall pick was unable to play in Sunday’s game due to the hamstring injury that has sidelined him since the turn of the new year, but with his return looming, Williamson believes New Orleans will be ready for the playoffs.
This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.
FTW: How would you rate the Pelicans season so far?
ZW: It hasn’t gone the way we want it to in terms of everybody staying healthy. We feel like our record (30-29) doesn’t represent how good we are. But coach [Willie] Green, he’s always on us about even when players are out, next man up, you got to hold down the fort. So I feel like when playoffs come, I feel like we’ll be ready.
FTW: How exciting is to finally play on a contender and have a winning record?
ZW: I’m excited for this. Because I always tell people, when I’m done playing basketball, I want people to think of me as a winner. Like, “that boy was a winner.”
FTW: A mini-rivalry is budding between the Pelicans and Suns. How does the KD trade shake that up?
ZW: Just like my teammate CJ [McCollum] said, we can’t quite call it a rivalry yet because they’ve been to a place we haven’t been yet. So I feel like when we do get there, we can call it a rivalry.
But as far as what you’re talking about, what I did at the end of that game, my emotions were high. Like you said, I had to sit there and watch my teammates get sent home. I felt the emotion in the locker room. I was there and, you know, I was helpless. There was nothing I could do about it. So when that moment came, I just had to let the world know that we here.
FTW: What are you most excited about All-Star weekend?
ZW: What I’m most excited about this weekend is just the atmosphere itself. Like, just being here is a honor. That’s enough for me. Even though I don’t have a chance to play, just being selected as a starter, man, it’s a real honor.
FTW: What's it like for young players in the game? Is there a pecking order of who has a green light?
ZW: I would say you just talk to the vets and the vets are going to tell you one of two things. They’re either gonna say “you’re playing 30 minutes,” or they’re gonna say, “nah, tonight I’ll play.” It just depends on how the vets are feeling.
FTW: What's it like off the court, what are the parties like? I know it's crazy out there.
ZW: All-Star is dope. The parties are dope because it’s a chance for a lot of the players to get together and just interact off the court, you know, without being competitive. And it’s a lot of people. It’s a lot of people to where you’re like, “I know you. I know you. I know you. Hey I haven’t seen you in two years.” But man, it’s all love.
FTW: Would you ever consider doing the dunk contest?
ZW: I would consider doing it. I’ll take heavy consideration in to doing it. I feel like if I am to do the dunk contest, I’ll probably do it within the next two years.
FTW: Can you rank your top four dunkers all-time, do you have a Mount Rushmore?
ZW: One, I would have [Michael Jordan]. Mike wasn’t only an in-game dunker — dunking on people, trick dunks — he also went back-to-back in the dunk contest. Got to put Vince Carter right next to him. Julius Erving, out of respect — that free-throw line dunk with the fro, everything he did at Rucker Park, iconic. And I gotta put LeBron [James] at fourth. LeBron is a crazy in-game dunker. Especially that first stint in Cleveland, when he was in Miami… crazy.
FTW: What's going on with Duke?
ZW: You know, it’s [John] Scheyer’s first year. College basketball is changing with the whole NIL and stuff. So, you know, players are are going to different schools you wouldn’t expect them to go to. But as far as Duke, we’re gonna be just fine. I feel like just like with the Pelicans, their record don’t show how great they are, and I think if they get a chance to go to that tournament, they’re gonna show the world who they really are.
FTW: Why did a collaboration with Starry make sense for you?
ZW: I think Starry represents exactly what I am. Starry just hits different. Starry hits different. And for it to be the new soft drink of the NBA and for me to be selected, it’s dope!
