Pelicans’ Lonzo Ball Hoping To Be ‘Big Brother’ To Zion Williamson

It’s common to see young players entering any professional sports league gravitating toward a particular role model or mentor.

For Lonzo Ball, that man was LeBron James. Now, the 21-year-old hopes he can be that person for Zion Williamson.

Both Ball and Williamson are entering their first year with the Pelicans, but for very different reasons. New Orleans selected Williamson No. 1 overall in the 2019 NBA Draft, and acquired Ball from the Lakers in a blockbuster trade that sent Anthony Davis to Los Angeles shortly after.

Now that the two have had some time to settle into their new surroundings, it’s clear Ball and Williamson have struck a special friendship. And Ball hopes to continue building their relationship throughout the 2019-20 season.

“I just tell him I’m here for him,” Ball told reporters Monday at Pelicans’ Media Day. “Whatever he’s going through, I’ve been there. I just want to be a big brother to him.”

What a duo.