CJ McCollum says Zion Williamson & Pelicans have ‘more accountability’ this season | NBA Today

CJ McCollum says Zion Williamson & Pelicans have ‘more accountability’ this season | NBA Today

But the West the top four teams they’re kind of bunched up the Suns your Pelicans they have the same records in the five and six spots the Suns right now hold the tiebreaker but you played them a couple bit of more times you guys won seven of your last eight games to

Get that tie with Phoenix for the fifth spot that’s despite Zion Williamson struggling a little bit of times averaging career lows in points and rebounds but how important is he the growth you’ve seen from him in other ways we were talking about this before it really impressed me yeah I think you

Got to throw the stats out the window uh for us in the beginning of the Season it was about health it’s about availability and US figuring out how to play together consistently as a group by group I mean myself Brandon Ingram Z we only played

10 games together last year as a team so practices chemistry execution spacing understanding where guys like to ball that down to stretch of games like all those things are important but you have to play in games to see that from a growth standpoint what I like most about

What I’m seeing from zbi and our team in general is the accountability we’re able to have with each other we’re able to be more vocal we’re able to have those dinners those hard conversations the uh the Cur you out moments where you need to curse somebody out and the moments

Where we’re not calling you out we’re calling you up I think that’s a part of it and the second part as a father of two now you see growth you see maturity in Z how he approaches the game understanding the importance of life outside of basketball understand that

This game is really important and you have mega star Mega Superstar talent but it’s about how you approach the game it’s about the little habits and we talked about stacking days he’s been stacking his days getting his extra conditioning in eating properly sleeping properly we talked about the importance

Of him being available later in the season he’s doing those things and I say throw the stats out at the beginning because we were figuring out how to utilize this roster how to utilize this team and his usage was low his usage is starting to pick up his conditioning is

Getting better we’re winning games and now he’s ticking up at the right time in terms of body fat in terms of conditioning in terms of how he’s being used in terms of minutes he’s playing back to backs now and I think the accountability is there the understanding of his greatness is there

And what he can do for not only himself but before our team in the City of New Orleans I think CJ he has no choice but because you’re true you’re you’re the true definition of a leader and and a true professional I’m watching The Kid Murphy he’s in great shape Jose we know

What he he brings to the table bi brings it every night so if Zion don’t follow the lead he’s going to poke out like a sord of thumb here’s my thing I know how bad y’all want it for him but how bad do Zion want it for Zion and my thing is

Like does he care about being great does he care that Zion Williamson is not here in Indianapolis right now as an Allstar like do Zion Williamson care about these I think in past years I wouldn’t have been sure how to answer that on National Television but I think I can say with

Absolute certainty that his actions have demonstrated that he cares his actions the work the consistency I asked him what he was doing during the break we talked about five games and seven days that we have coming out of this a back to back and we talked about how we have

A gap of six games in about 14 or 15 days shout out to the schedule Gods we’re excited about that but he said I got treatment in the morning I have a lift with my stepfather I got some on court work and then I got my tea time

Schedule you’re talking about a guy that’s locked in and understanding that you get your work iname first and then you figure out what’s your version of healthy happy play and for him it’s golf for him it’s it’s his way to get away but I’m excited about seeing what

Everybody does bi this is a guy who’s been great throughout the year we’ve seen what he did in the playoff two years ago when we got in there Trey getting into Rhythm JV is always available herb herb is shooting 40 over 40 from three in his last 70 career

Games he’s shooting like 50 since December 1st um obviously I’m still here I’m still going to do what I do U but I think our team is built to succeed as long as we’re healthy and I’m excited to see what happens going forward shout out to my guy n Marshall too man playing

Well and and Dyson I hope you get healthy man um and and get back out there soon that’s awesome thank you so much for sharing all of that with us that kind of rare insight into your team we really appreciate [Applause] [Applause] that

CJ McCollum joins NBA Today to discuss the first half of the season for Zion Williamson and the New Orleans Pelicans as they’ve won seven of eight games heading into the All-Star break.

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