The New Orleans Pelicans’ 2019 training camp will tip off on Sept. 30 with media day. Most of the media’s attention will be on one player: rookie phenom Zion Williamson.
The No. 1 pick from the 2019 NBA Draft is the most anticipated new player to enter the league since an 18-year-old LeBron James arrived at the Cleveland Cavaliers’ training camp 16 years ago. Armed with a lucrative shoe deal with Jordan Brand and endorsement deals with Panini, NBA 2K and Gatorade, Williamson will be the most hyped—and scrutinized—player in his class.
Williamson also enters the NBA with an unusual and unwanted distinction: he is embroiled in federal and state lawsuits that raise questions about whether he betrayed his word and complied with NCAA amateurism rules.