Contract extension a rebirth for Pelicans’ Zion Williamson Era

NEW ORLEANS – Zion Williamson signed the papers at approximately 3:20 p.m. Central Standard Time on Wednesday.

And just like that a rebirth of the Williamson Era began for the New Orleans Pelicans.

In some ways it was reminiscent of three summers ago when the Pelicans won the NBA Lottery and the opportunity to draft Williamson, who famously told his new city, “Let’s dance.”

But there hasn’t been a whole lot of dancing.

In three seasons, Williamson has played in 85 games and the Pelicans have played 149 games without him because of his multiple injuries, most notably a broken foot that forced him to miss all of last season.

Now Williamson has been cleared to work out fully and he signed a contract extension on his 22nd birthday that will keep him in New Orleans until at least his 28th birthday.

The timing of the signing was a coincidence because Wednesday was the first day that Williamson and the Pelicans could officially commit to one another.

They did so at the Dryades YMCA in front of campers Williamson is working with, and the event was filled with sentimentality, beginning with both Williamson’s and Pelicans Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations David Griffin recalling how their maturation was shaped by YMCAs in South Carolina and Arizona, respectively.

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Williamson said that it was on his birthday a year ago that he “learned I broke my foot.”

The birthday boy said Griffin told him that “it’s going to be hard for somebody to top this birthday gift.” The gift came in the form of a contract worth at least $193 million and perhaps as much as $231 million.

Griffin pointed out that Williamson’s birthday celebration was “a momentous occasion for all of us.”

He also called it an opportunity to “put to bed,” persistent rumors and social media speculation that Williamson and his family were unhappy with the Pelicans and eager to go elsewhere.

Williamson was smiling and almost giddy as he played basketball with the campers, signed the contract and mostly as he answered questions. But he turned serious as he related the fallout from the speculation that he had wanderlust.

“At the beginning of last season,” Williamson said, “I told the world, ‘if you ever want to know if I want to be here, just ask me.’ Instead the world ran with the narrative (that I don’t want to be here).”

The speculation that Williamson was looking to leave New Orleans ripped the scab off of wounds many Pelicans fans still had from former stars Chris Paul and Anthony Davis forcing their way out of New Orleans.

Williamson said the last year was a “roller coaster emotionally” and his family was “harassed” in public.

“Why don’t you like New Orleans? Why don’t you want to be here?” Williamson recalled fans asking his family. “That wasn’t the case at all.

“Every time I checked my phone, it was something negative even when I was trying to make it positive.”

Griffin said “the noise on the periphery” was “irrelevant” because “actions speak louder than words.

The action he cited was Williamson’s “commitment to the city, the team and the community.”

Neither Griffin nor Williamson denied that there were difficult conversations as both sides worked through the frustration of the young All-Star’s absence.

Griffin said he told Williamson that “we have to love each other enough to tell each other what we need to hear.”

He denied that their relationship was ever “strained” because of the conversations.

Williamson said Griffin always “kept it real,” though he declined an opportunity to cite any specifics.

“He was always honest and I respect that,” Williamson said.

In fact he cited Griffin along with general manager Trajan Langdon and head coach Willie Green, who joined Williamson and Griffin on the dais, as well as owner Gayle Benson, his family and friends for their support over the last year.

“They helped me get through tough times,” Williamson said.

Now the Pelicans appear to be ascending after an unexpected playoff berth last season even in Williamson’s absence.

Griffin called the team’s roster “incredibly talented,” adding that they’re “young and most importantly very hungry.”

Langdon said the future is going to be “a lot of fun – and dangerous to the rest of the league.”

Green placed his hand on one of Williamson’s burly shoulders and told him, “I’m looking forward to the opportunity to finally coach you” as Williamson smiled broadly.

Williamson praised “the energy” in the Smoothie King Center as Green’s first team won two elimination play-in games and beat top-seeded Phoenix twice before losing.

“That was real,” he said. “You can’t make that up. As a player why wouldn’t you want to be a part of it?”

After Williamson signed his birthday present Griffin hugged the player’s mother (Sharonda) and stepfather (Lee Anderson).

Then Anderson summed up the rebirth celebration: “We’re home.”