Zion Williamson - Rockets at Pelicans Postgame Interview, 2/22
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00:00 >> Come on, we got to represent.
00:02 >> [LAUGH]
00:07 >> How fun is this for you just to be involved in games with
00:12 stakes here down the stretch?
00:14 >> For me, just to be in this part of the season, I said it before all-star break,
00:19 it's just a blessing, because I haven't been in this part of the season since
00:24 my second year, so it's exciting also to be in games down the stretch.
00:29 Where it means something, it's very exciting.
00:34 >> It's not many NBA games, a guy that has seven steals,
00:37 what do you think about what Herb was able to do defensively in this game?
00:41 >> If Herb is not first team, all NBA defense,
00:45 I don't know what else someone can do to qualify for that.
00:51 I mean, Herb's just amazing.
00:54 His energy, effort, how he competes, and
00:59 just the joy he plays the game with is very effectuous.
01:03 And I mean, I'm glad he's my teammate.
01:07 >> And when he's being as disruptive as he was tonight,
01:11 how much did that change the team, the way y'all play so well in transition?
01:17 >> I mean, Herb is an elite transition finisher.
01:23 I mean, one second he's not there, the next second he's right where he needs to be.
01:29 It's for a layup, a dunk, even on a defensive end, a block steal.
01:34 I mean, he's just all over the court.
01:36 >> And you talked about being a part of these big games,
01:39 these moments coming off of All-Star, where you obviously didn't participate.
01:44 How much are you kind of looking forward to kind of reintroducing yourself,
01:48 I guess, to the world and showing what you can do in these games?
01:52 >> Gotta win.
01:53 At this point, I gotta win.
01:57 There ain't much to speak on in regards to that except win.
02:04 I think that's the only way to show people.
02:05 >> And how much did you kind of feel the crowd after that stretch where y'all had
02:10 the three straight dunks and you had the allergy?
02:12 How much did you kind of just feel the energy in that moment?
02:15 >> Who was it?
02:16 Was it Herb that started off and then JV?
02:20 Cuz when Herb, I think I was at the table when Herb got the poster.
02:25 And I was on the court when JV got the dunk, and I was like, all right.
02:30 So when I was in the right spot for the lob, the energy was there.
02:35 And I love moments like that cuz it's a timeout.
02:39 You go back to the bench, celebrate with your teammates, and just say, hey,
02:42 keep your foot on the throttle.
02:43 Just keep the energy up.
02:44 >> Z, speaking of Herb and Poster, have you ever seen him, or
02:48 what do you think of him being more vocal, showing his emotions more out there?
02:54 >> That's who Herb is every day, not in just the game, but in practice.
02:57 He's really grown into who he's supposed to be,
03:04 and almost feels like there's no limit for Herb.
03:09 And you just see him just getting better year by year, day by day.
03:14 And it's, like I said before, I'm glad he's my teammate.
03:18 >> Z, we saw you shoot a couple of shots away from the restricted area.
03:21 I think it was like four or five.
03:22 Do you feel more comfortable getting those shots up now?
03:26 >> Yeah, I'm getting very comfortable with it, cuz I gotta mix it up,
03:31 especially with how teams are gonna try to guard me and we make the playoffs.
03:36 I mean, it's gonna be more physical.
03:37 I don't think refs are really gonna call any fouls.
03:39 So I just gotta get myself ready for that.
03:42 >> Do your fans are noticing that after victories, you're running on Twitter,
03:45 you're finding that retro apparel, see the ads and tweet, and you're liking it.
03:48 Just from a fan's perspective, how did you come across that,
03:51 and what do you think about that close fan-player interaction like that?
03:55 >> So I'll get on Twitter after the game to go see Larry's game recap.
04:03 And I guess it's on my homepage for recommended.
04:06 And I remember one time I watched the video, I was like, that ain't bad.
04:13 And I think some games went by and I said, you know what?
04:16 I'm gonna start liking this video.
04:20 So I think one of the games, I think it was right before all-star break,
04:23 it was dope.
04:24 They put the Thanos moment where he like, [LAUGH] and then played it.
04:30 It's dope, it's just cuz you see the whole team.
04:32 And the energy is like that in the locker room before the games and
04:37 after the games.
04:37 So that's why I really like that video.
04:39 >> You guys were on the road for almost three weeks.
04:43 What's it like just getting back onto your home floor and
04:45 playing in front of your fans?
04:47 >> Man, I love road games, but it did feel like we were just away for a long time.
04:54 So just to be back at the crib and to feel that energy, it's all love.
05:00 >> And we saw a few moments where you were scoring on, I guess you said,
05:04 right in front of the bench where you would score, turn and
05:07 talk to the guys on the bench.
05:08 What kind of fueled that?
05:09 I know you love competitive games, but I guess what kind of brought that out of you?
05:14 >> I gotta bring energy, I can't wait for the energy to come to me.
05:21 I gotta bring it, so my teammates know how I am.
05:27 So if I can do anything to get us going, energy wise, I'm gonna do it.
05:33 >> For a playoff caliber team, when you pass the all-star break,
05:37 is there a change in mentality at all in that locker room?
05:40 >> Absolutely, we know what the stakes are.
05:44 Everybody, every team, west or east, wants to position themselves in the best way
05:50 to have home court advantage or to not be in a playing game.
05:55 And that's what we're doing, we're trying to position ourselves to be in a good spot.
05:59 >> So do you feel like going up against a really physical defender like
06:02 Dylan Brooks even brings that much more energy out of you, gets you more?
06:07 >> Yeah, me and him, we talk on the court.
06:10 And I mean, I've been telling him since he was in Memphis,
06:13 I said, I like competing against you.
06:15 He's physical, but he also just, I mean, he stays true to who he is.
06:20 No matter what people see on Twitter and how much they talk about him,
06:23 he stays true to who he is.
06:25 And whenever we compete, it ain't no bad blood, it's just straight competing.
06:30 [BLANK_AUDIO]