The New Orleans Pelicans are enduring a rough season, currently holding one of the worst records in the NBA at 13-43 after their most recent loss to the Dallas Mavericks. Despite the team’s struggles, franchise star Zion Williamson took a moment to highlight the effort of his teammate Trey Murphy III, particularly for his defensive assignment against Kyrie Irving.
Irving led all scorers with 35 points, adding two rebounds and four assists in Dallas’ victory. However, Williamson believes Murphy should keep his head high despite Irving’s elite performance.
“Obviously, we’ve seen the offensive progression in Trey’s game, in terms of attacking the basket and becoming a three-level scorer,” Williamson said. “But defensively and as a leader, he’s grown a lot. Taking on the assignment of wanting to guard Kyrie is a big step.”
“Granted, Kyrie had the game he had, but just taking that initiative and thinking about the future shows a lot of leadership. Trey is evolving in all areas—offensively, defensively, and as a leader.”
Kyrie Irving #11 of the Dallas Mavericks reacts during the game against the New Orleans Pelicans at Smoothie King Center.
Zion on the modern NBA’s defensive challenges
Williamson also reflected on how defensive strategies in today’s NBA allow star players more freedom to adapt their styles. He emphasized the importance of building a strong defensive core for the Pelicans‘ future success.
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“It’s big-time,” Williamson said. “You look at the teams that have won championships—their best guy is able to switch one through four, sometimes even guard a five depending on the matchup. That’s what we need to build on for the future and the rest of the season.”
Building chemistry: Williamson confident in Kelly Olynyk’s fit
In addition to praising Murphy, Williamson expressed confidence that recent acquisition Kelly Olynyk will quickly integrate into the team’s system. “He reads the game really well,” Williamson noted. “A-Miles (assistant coach Aaron Miles) was in our ear about ‘when I flash, look for the high-low.’ It’s not something we’ve really incorporated much, but with someone like Kelly—who has a high basketball IQ—he’s always looking to make the right pass. I don’t think it’ll take long at all for our chemistry to click.”
Despite their ongoing struggles, the Pelicans remain focused on player development, with Williamson at the center of their long-term vision for next seasons in the NBA.
