Zion Williamson used his end-of-season press conference on Monday, April 13, to lay out a blunt assessment of his year and the New Orleans Pelicans’ direction. The forward said his improved health came from a group effort and wants that progress to lead to even more availability next season.
“A multitude of things,” Williamson said when asked what accounted for his healthier year. “My trainer Chris he helped out a lot with that… And then just the Pels medical staff, it was a collective team thing.” He added that the routine “yielded results” and left him feeling strong after games.
That health step matters because Williamson finished the 2025-26 season with 62 games played, 21.0 points per game and 5.7 rebounds per game. He said the next goal is bigger: “Now try to play 75 to 82. You know, I want to be able to play 82 games in a season one day. So that’s definitely a goal.”
Williamson was equally direct about his on-court standard. “My play on the court was okay,” he said. “You know, I was efficient, but I don’t want to sit here and just say it was okay and we’re not even in the playin and no chance at the playoffs.” He added that he has “a lot to go work on” and wants to become “unpredictable on the offensive end.”
That evolution, he said, has to come from attacking at every level. “I got to be able to attack the game from all three levels,” Williamson said. “If I want to take the next step in my game, be who I can be for this team, I got to be able to attack the game from all three levels.”
The Pelicans finished 26-56, but Williamson pointed to a strong stretch from late January through March as proof the roster can compete. “During that stretch we did have a great stand of basketball collectively as a team,” he said. “We are close if not there in a sense already.”
He also praised interim coach James Borrego for stabilizing a changing situation. “I think with the circumstances he was placed in, I think he made the most of his opportunity,” Williamson said. “I think he did a good job.”
Williamson made clear that New Orleans remains where he wants to be. “This is where I want to be. New Orleans is home for me,” he said. “I live here. I stay here in the city, I go out, I do different things, try to get to know the city more.”
The biggest motivation, though, is still the postseason. “It’s frustrating getting up here every year not being in the playoffs,” Williamson said. “I would like to be in the playoffs.”
“This is where I want to be. New Orleans is home for me.”
The Pelicans now enter an offseason centered on development, with Williamson’s availability and offensive evolution positioned as central factors for next season’s trajectory.
