Zion swaps jerseys with Ja after dominating Grizz

NEW ORLEANS — Zion Williamson and Ja Morant had been waiting for this moment.

Williamson, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 NBA draft by the New Orleans Pelicans, and Morant, the No. 2 overall pick by the Memphis Grizzlies, met at half court following Friday’s contest. In that moment, the final score — the Pelicans toppled the Grizzlies 139-111 — didn’t really matter. It was about two friends getting to exchange NBA jerseys for the very first time.

When the teams squared off less than two weeks ago on Martin Luther King Jr. Day in Memphis, Tennessee, Williamson wasn’t yet ready to play, as he was still recovering from knee surgery. That was the final game he sat out before returning two days later.

Williamson and Morant, both South Carolina natives, played on the same AAU team the summer before Williamson’s freshman year of high school and Morant’s sophomore year. The two have remained friends. On Friday, they met on the court for the first time as pros and shared a moment following the game.

“You can’t even imagine moments like that, man,” Williamson said. “Like I said, we were two role players. I think one tournament — AAU tournament — me and him both averaged 30 or something when our main player wasn’t there, but we never saw each other being the No. 1 and 2 pick, playing against each other and swapping jerseys.

“You can’t imagine stuff like that, so it was a great moment. I’m real close with him. You just can’t create stuff like that.”

Morant called the moment “special” and said the two talked briefly about moving forward with their careers and goals. He also said he never looked at the game as being the No. 1 overall pick against the No. 2 overall pick.

“The media tries to [make] it me versus Zion,” Morant said. “If I was talking in the media, I’d tell you it’s Grizzlies versus Pelicans. It’s me and my teammates looking to just keep pushing to the playoffs.”

On the court, the Pelicans picked up a victory against Memphis for the second time this month. The Grizzlies went 11-4 in January as they try to solidify a hold on the eighth seed in the Western Conference playoff picture, but they lost two potentially crucial games to the Pelicans, who have gone 13-6 since Dec. 23.

New Orleans still sits four games behind the Grizzlies in the postseason chase, but the team is healthier than it has been all season.

“It was one of the most complete games we’ve played, really,” said Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry, who picked up his 500th career win. “I thought we started the game great. We just went through a little period in there where we were a little loose with the ball, but for the most part, I thought we executed.”

The 139 points marked a season high for the Pelicans and tied for the fifth most in franchise history. Williamson had 24 points to lead eight players in double figures, including first-time All-Star selection Brandon Ingram, who had 20 points. Pelicans guard Lonzo Ball, who had 19 points, 8 assists, 6 rebounds and 5 3-pointers, said the team is starting to look like what he thought it would be at the beginning of the season, before the injury bug hit.

“Obviously, we knew it was going to be a process, but I think we are finally figuring it out, building up the chemistry,” Ball said. “Incorporating Zion back is good for us, and hopefully we just keep trending upward.”

Ingram, who was announced as an All-Star reserve on Thursday in his first season with New Orleans, said he didn’t have any expectations about what the team could be heading into the season.

“I just knew we had a lot of talented players in the locker room,” Ingram said. “When I got here, I think the attitude and character went along with it, and [we] just continue to work each and every day when we get in practice, and it shows up in games.”

Williamson has made strides since his debut Jan. 22. His 24 points were a season high, and Gentry said this was Williamson’s “best” outing.

Part of that is Williamson getting used to playing with his teammates. The Pelicans’ starting lineup of Williamson, Ball, Ingram, Jrue Holiday and Derrick Favors has played a total of 59 minutes since Williamson’s debut. In five games with that lineup on the floor, the Pelicans have an offensive rating of 118.4 and a defensive rating of 90.2.

Since Jan. 20, 18 lineups around the league have played a total of 45 minutes. That lineup for the Pelicans ranks first in net efficiency, first in defensive efficiency and third in offensive efficiency.

Williamson sees more room to grow.

“I think I need a couple more games before we’re fully comfortable,” Williamson said. “‘Cause remember, they have 45 games under their belt. I have five now. So I still think it’s gonna take some time.”

Williamson has made a habit of highlight plays throughout his high school, college and young professional career, and Friday was no exception. In the first half, Holiday tossed Williamson a lob that sailed behind the backboard. Williamson was still able to catch the ball with his left hand and lay it in with his right in one motion.

But that wasn’t his favorite highlight of the night. That honor went to a dunk E’Twaun Moore threw down during the second quarter with Memphis’ Josh Jackson on his hip. That got the bench cheering and Williamson thinking.

“He’s definitely getting drug-tested,” Williamson said with a laugh. “I hope he knows that.”

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