	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

NBA ALL-STAR 2020

February 14, 2020

Zion Williamson

Chicago, Illinois

Q. What kind of player in the NBA have you modeled your game after?
ZION WILLIAMSON: None of them, to be honest. Just trying to bring my own style to the game.

Q. And what do you need to improve on? What's your next step to be even better?
ZION WILLIAMSON: What do you think? I feel like y'all know it, so y'all tell me.

Q. How does it feel representing the Pelicans?
ZION WILLIAMSON: It feels great for me to be a part of an organization like them and allowing me to represent them. It's a blessing, so I'm glad I can represent them.

Q. Zion, 10 games, how do you think it's going so far?
ZION WILLIAMSON: I think it's going all right. Me and my teammates are just trying to compete for that playoff spot.

Q. What does it mean to be here with the NBA All-Stars during a very emotional time also honoring Kobe's legacy?
ZION WILLIAMSON: It's an honor to be here my first year despite being 10 games in. It is a very tough time with the whole Kobe thing. You hate to see it happen like that, but we're going to honor his legacy the best we can and try to have a great weekend.

Q. After all these years, back on the same team with Ja. How special is that?
ZION WILLIAMSON: It's crazy. We couldn't have dreamed about this in a million years. If you go ask him, we wouldn't have thought we were going to be here. If we did, it was probably a different kind of journey. I mean, it's exciting. We're just both looking to go out there and have fun.

Q. How special is it that you're going up against RJ Barrett?
ZION WILLIAMSON: It's very special. That's my brother. We had great times at Duke. I know we're both looking to go out there and have fun.

Q. What's your expectation for the Rising Stars game?
ZION WILLIAMSON: To have fun. I think you guys are going overboard a bit. I think everyone is looking to go out here and have fun, and when it comes down to crunch time, I think we'll get serious.

Q. I know you're with Jordan Brand. Do you know where we could find Michael Jordan?
ZION WILLIAMSON: Honestly, I cannot tell you. Check a golf course. He'll probably be there.

Q. Do you plan on linking with him at all this weekend?
ZION WILLIAMSON: If I have an opportunity, I will.

Q. Will we see you at the Dunk Contest?
ZION WILLIAMSON: It's a possibility. I can't give a direct answer right now.

Q. Is this your best moment in your sports life?
ZION WILLIAMSON: I don't know. I had a lot of great moments at Duke. I don't think I can answer that question right now. I'd rather think about it.

Q. Rui Hachimura said he would love to dunk on you. What do you say to that?
ZION WILLIAMSON: Man, I love the competitive spirit. He's welcome to try. I'm not going to stop him.

Q. What did Kobe mean to you growing up?
ZION WILLIAMSON: He meant a lot to me growing up. I think everybody respected his mentality for the game. I had both jerseys, 8 and 24, growing up. Like I said earlier, you just hate to see it happen like that, but I think NBA All-Star is just going to do its best to represent his legacy, celebrate it as much as they can while having a great weekend.

Q. Does it make it special that this is really the first time that really the week has some kind of cause to be around each other and the brotherhood it generates?
ZION WILLIAMSON: Yeah, I think the brotherhood in the NBA was just kind of always there, but I think it's just showing a bit more due to the Kobe situation.

Q. Can you tell us about the expectations for this season? Have they changed?
ZION WILLIAMSON: Not really. My expectations six months ago versus now are the same. Just go out there, have an impact and do whatever I can to help my team win.

Q. What do you think about the Houston Rockets' lineup with no one taller than 6-6? Has small ball gone too far?
ZION WILLIAMSON: I don't play for the Rockets, so I don't know how to answer that question.

Q. How about in the league?
ZION WILLIAMSON: I mean, whatever the team feels comfortable with. I think you have to look at your roster and who you want to match up with and who you want to put on the court. I think every team is different.

Q. What do you see in Luka Doncic, that matchup, you guys being the new faces of the NBA? What do you see in him?
ZION WILLIAMSON: He's a great player. You all see it. He goes out there and gets triple-doubles and is able to put up 30 on every night. So I got a lot of respect for him. He's a great player, and I'm looking forward to matching up against him.

Q. What does it mean for you to be in Chicago and knowing their history here? What does it mean to be here?
ZION WILLIAMSON: It's an honor to be in Chicago. Jordan played here a lot of years, 6-0 in The Finals, never went to Game 7. To be in this building, it's an honor.

Q. What's the origin of your name?
ZION WILLIAMSON: The origin of my name? It comes from the Bible. It's a biblical name, and it also comes from the Lauryn Hill song, [To] Zion.

Q. Do you take pride knowing that you're one of the future faces of the league?
ZION WILLIAMSON: No, I don't really think about that too much. My mom says just to kind of go out there, have fun and just win the game.

Q. What would you say was your welcome moment to the league?
ZION WILLIAMSON: I'm going to say definitely against the Spurs, just being able to go out there and play my first game.

Q. On Kobe Bryant's impact on the sneaker world:
ZION WILLIAMSON: Man, to be honest, it's up there with Jordan, especially in this generation because he was this generation's Michael Jordan. I mean, if you look, a lot of players wear Kobes when they're playing basketball. So you know, his impact on the shoe game was incredible.

Q. How does it feel that your rookie card may be worth thousands of dollars to some collectors?
ZION WILLIAMSON: Thanks for the love and support, to be honest. I think it just shows that people have interest in buying cards and stuff, so all I can say is thank you for love and support.

Q. With your injuries and people saying you'd never be able to jump and walk again. What did you think when that was going on? Did you laugh at all?
ZION WILLIAMSON: Yeah, I pretty much just laughed it off. It's one of those things where people are going to say what they want and I can't control it. So just ignore it and laugh it off.

Q. Answer this: Because of Kobe, I am...
ZION WILLIAMSON: I am -- I bring a different mindset to the game. I'm always locked in no matter what I'm doing because whatever he was doing, whether it was on court or off court, he was always locked in and brought his best to it.

Q. What's one thing that's most different on the court and off the court?
ZION WILLIAMSON: On the court, I think it's the age difference. I'm 19, and you have some players in their 30s. Then off the court, just managing your time because in college you had practice but you also had class. In the NBA, it's practice and whatever you do with the rest of your day, you have to make the most of it.

Q. Is it fair when people say you bet on yourself to get you to where you are today?
ZION WILLIAMSON: I think it was just kind of growing up, probably like in middle school when I dropped football and soccer, and I said I'm only focused on basketball and see where it takes me.

Q. It's Valentine's Day. What would someone have to do to get you to say yes to be their Valentine?
ZION WILLIAMSON: Wow, I love these questions. Honestly, I'm not sure. Something from the heart. It don't have to be nothing grand. It can be something simple, and I'll say yes.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297