The New Orleans Pelicans wrapped up training camp week with an open practice at the Smoothie King Center on Saturday. The 2019-20 season should be an exciting one for a New Orleans team that features power forward Zion Williamson, the top overall pick of the 2019 NBA Draft, as well as a rotation fortified by former Los Angeles Lakers via the Anthony Davis trade.
While the scrimmage did not disappoint according to ESPN's Andrew Lopez, it was the rookie talent show that made it an even more memorable night in the Crescent City.
ZION BLOCK 🚫
— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) October 5, 2019
LONZO TO ZION FOR THE SLAM 💪#WBD pic.twitter.com/XECqkfC4q5
The Pelicans have three first-round rookies on the team in Williamson, center Jaxson Hayes (No. 8 overall) and shooting guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker (No. 17).
After Zion was booed for not singing the first verse, here's him belting out some parts of I Wanna Dance With Somebody. pic.twitter.com/KHHathIb7M
— Andrew Lopez (@_Andrew_Lopez) October 6, 2019
While Williamson had to wait for the hook to Whitney Houston's "I Wanna Dance With Somebody" to get into his performance, Alexander-Walker stole the show with Vanessa Carlton's "A Thousand Miles":
Truly a performance rivaled only by Terry Crews and the 2016 United States Men's Basketball team.
Can you use the term "Legendary" on the night of an Open Scrimmage? Asking for a friend. https://t.co/uLxf0xPY8W
— David Griffin (@dg_riff) October 6, 2019
Other performances included Madonna's "Like a Prayer" by Hayes and first-year NBA power forward Nicolo Melli performing "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell. The Pelicans will start their preseason Monday on the road against the Atlanta Hawks. That would be a 469-mile trip for Alexander-Walker, so a round trip should come close to approaching those 1,000 miles.