By turning down Team USA, new New Orleans Pelicans Zion Williamson and JJ Redick are preparing themselves for an exciting upcoming season.
Turning down a bid at the FIBA World Championships became the norm this summer throughout the NBA. With top-level athletes like Damian Lillard, Anthony Davis, James Harden and many others, it’s no surprise that new New Orleans Pelicans Zion Williamson and JJ Redick did the same.
While the aforementioned stars have a much better chance of making the playoffs and possibly competing for a title in the impending 2019-2020 NBA season than JJ Redick, Zion Williamson and the Pelicans do, there are plenty of good reasons the seasoned veteran and number one overall pick decided it best for them to skip out on the world championships.
These two athletes play an extremely different style of basketball and are at completely different points in their career. Williamson, with the high-flying, crazy-level athleticism and power as a rookie and Redick, with more of a world-class shooter and veteran role.
However, there is a large level of continuity in their reasoning for passing on the world-class event, aspects that could wind up shaping what is sure to be an exciting 2019-20 campaign for the Pelicans.