<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-jeff-teague-grim-zion-williamson-retirement-prediction');   ga('set', 'title', 'Jeff Teague makes grim retirement prediction for Pelicans’ Zion Williamson');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Williamson-vs-the-Timberwolves.jpg"><figcaption>Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Jeff Teague makes grim retirement prediction for Pelicans’ Zion Williamson</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-29T10:32:40-07:00">June 29th, 10:32am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-29T10:32:40-07:00">June 29th, 10:32am</time><address><a>Jackson Stone</a>Jackson Stone is a Mercer University senior from Atlanta on track to graduate with a BA in communications. A lifelong sports lover, Jackson is a die-hard fan of all Atlanta teams. He joined ClutchPoints in 2023.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/bill-simmons-calls-pelicans-draft-trade-with-hawks-one-of-dumbest-of-decade">New Orleans Pelicans have had</a> a busy offseason so far, recently <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-stephen-a-smith-calls-jeremiah-fears-the-second-coming-of-kyrie-irving">drafting both Jeremiah Fears</a> and Derik Queen in the first round of the NBA Draft to try to kickstart their franchise. The Pelicans are coming off of a disastrous 2024-25 season in which they finished with the second worst record in the Western Conference, thanks in no small part due to injury.</p><p>While most teams may be able to chalk that up to an unlucky year, the injury concern is perpetually hanging over the Pelicans’ heads due to the presence of Zion Williamson on their roster.</p><p>Williamson has missed more games than he has played so far in his five-year NBA career, and recently, former NBA All-Star point guard Jeff Teague made <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=69&amp;v=8ENOgTmLHVM&amp;feature=youtu.be" rel="noopener">a grim prediction</a> about Williamson’s future.</p><p>“He isn’t going to ever play. Like Zion’s going to retire in two years. Bro, you think he’s going to play until he’s 30?” wondered Teague, via his Club 520 podcast.</p><p>Teague then clarified that he would give Williamson “four years max.”</p><p>Williamson has dealt with a wide array of injuries throughout his career but remains one of the game’s most unique players when he is on the floor.</p><h2><b>A consequential season for the Pelicans</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Jeremiah-Fears-selected-by-Pelicans.jpg"><figcaption>© Brad Penner-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>In order to draft Derik Queen in the first round, newly minted Pelicans general manager and NBA Hall of Famer Joe Dumars traded away the team’s right to swap picks with the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2026 draft, meaning that whoever has the more favorable of those two picks next year will see that selection be shipped to the Atlanta Hawks.</p><p>It was a hefty price to pay to draft Queen, whose fit next to Williamson would appear to be suspect on paper.</p><p>Teams generally don’t trade unprotected first round picks unless they are quite confident that they will be a good team in the ensuing year, and it’s unclear where that confidence is coming from for Dumars, as the Pelicans have several injury red flags on their roster and also will play at least part of the season without starting point guard Dejounte Murray.</p><p>Still, sometimes swinging for the fences can pay off.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Jeff Teague makes grim retirement prediction for Pelicans’ Zion Williamson

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-joe-dumars-cj-mccollum-pelicans-stressing-second-chances-zion-williamson');   ga('set', 'title', 'Pelicans’ Joe Dumars stressing second chances amid Zion Williamson drama');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Pelicans-news-Joe-Dumars-stressing-second-chances-amid-Zion-Williamson-drama.jpg"></figure><h1>Pelicans’ Joe Dumars stressing second chances amid Zion Williamson drama</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-23T13:55:39-07:00">June 23rd, 1:55pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-23T13:59:24-07:00">June 23rd, 1:59pm</time><address><a>Chris Dodson</a>Chris Dodson is a Memphis Grizzlies beat reporter for ClutchPoints who has also covered the New Orleans Pelicans. He has covered Louisiana high school and college basketball in spurts for over a decade. A basketball lifer from the bayou, his gumbo-stirring form matches his elbow jumper celebrations. Fast enough for varsity hoops, tall enough for a soccer scholarship. He has words and will travel, just not on the court.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>It was apt that construction sounds could be heard bouncing off the Smoothie King Center’s walls during the “Beyond the Record: Second Chances Summit” hosted by <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/sources-pelicans-not-completely-shutting-door-herb-jones-trey-murphy-iii-trades-nba">Zion Williamson’s open-for-business New Orleans Pelicans</a>. This is a city accustomed to constant remodeling by well-monied interests as the community’s greater individual needs get drowned out by tourist revelries after all. Still, an <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-owner-gayle-benson-breaks-silence-zion-williamson-rape-lawsuit">ever-graceful Gayle Benson opened the show</a> with tender respect; Joe Dumars and CJ McCollum stuck around to hear the stories and <a href="https://www.nba.com/pelicans/photos/gayle-benson-joe-dumars-cj-mccollum-beyond-the-record-second-chances-summit-community-photos-june-6-2025" rel="noopener">share some tears</a> in a touching, culture-building convention.</p><p>“It is critically important to educate business leaders,” Benson began. “Understand that individuals who qualify for these opportunities have earned and are deserving of a second chance.”</p><p>Hosted in partnership with the National Basketball Social Justice Coalition, the Justice &amp; Accountability Center of Louisiana (JAC), and Voice of the Experienced (VOTE) brought out over 1000 community members looking for new hope near a basketball court. The summit sought to address real-world barriers and highlight actionable solutions that could drive further community-driven reform.</p><p>“The New Orleans Pelicans continue to demonstrate what it means to lead with purpose,” said James Cadogan, Executive Director of the National Basketball Social Justice Coalition. “Through this Second Chances Summit, they’ve not only opened doors for individuals impacted by the justice system, they’ve also set a powerful example of how basketball can drive real change.”</p><p>Finding the mercy and grace to bless someone with a fresh slate takes character, compassion, and most importantly, some understanding of one’s situation. You cannot help the headlines, regardless of what is actually said or done. Joe Dumars is hoping that mindset permeates the culture a bit more with the Pelicans moving forward.</p><p>“There are people out here that care…trying to reach people, trying to help people,” Dumars added. “Many of the players that I signed (with the Detroit Pistons) were guys that other teams had given up on.”</p><p>Giving up when things are tough will not going to be in the cards with an accountability-driven Dumars in charge. CJ McCollum was just glad no one gave up on him decades ago.</p><p>“I was the kind of kid that would go left,” McCollum admitted. “But my brother would go right, so I followed him. That kind of saved me. I just think a lot of us need second chances.”</p><p>CJ McCollum and Joe Dumars were not the only influencers in the Smoothie King Center, of course. Several campaigning for office (or already elected) decided to stop by as well; Senator Royce Duplessis served as a panel member. A few even stuck around for the entire event, making a lasting impression with many in the crowd looking to regain voting rights.</p><p>“Laws and policy are not enough,” Congressman Troy Carter stressed. “We need community.”</p><p>Well, that, some attention on a small market team trying to make an impression, and good health. The Pelicans want to make the postseason next summer after all. Nothing would bring the fanbase together more than an NBA Finals run with Zion Williamson leading the way.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Pelicans’ Joe Dumars stressing second chances amid Zion Williamson drama

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-zion-williamson-hit-with-focal-point-label-by-joe-dumars');   ga('set', 'title', 'Pelicans’ Zion Williamson hit with ‘focal point’ label by Joe Dumars');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Zion-Williamson-of-the-New-Orleans-Pelicans.jpg"><figcaption>Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Pelicans’ Zion Williamson hit with ‘focal point’ label by Joe Dumars</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-04T10:58:13-07:00">June 4th, 10:58am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-04T12:56:52-07:00">June 4th, 12:56pm</time><address><a>Zachary Weinberger</a>Zachary Weinberger joined ClutchPoints in October 2023 as a Miami Heat reporter as well as an Associate Editor. He graduated from Florida Atlantic University in 2022 after covering the school's athletic programs since his freshman year at the FAU University Press, where he was a Sports Editor and Editor-in-Chief. He then covered FAU Sports for The Palm Beach Post.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>As <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-rumors-zion-williamson-trade-offers-to-feature-bad-contracts-no-picks">rumors have surrounded New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson</a>, the team’s executive vice president of basketball operations, Joe Dumars, spoke about the plans surrounding the former No. 1 overall pick. Away from basketball, the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-zion-williamson-accused-rape-recent-la-court-filing">Pelicans player in Williamson also has allegations of rape</a> according to a recent lawsuit, adding more controversy to the 24-year-old.</p><p>Despite the immense amount of speculation around Williamson and possibly being dealt this offseason, Dumars would say to Rod Walker of The Times-Picayune that the team will move “forward” with the star. He would even go as far as to say that Williamson will <a href="https://www.nola.com/sports/pelicans/zion-williamson-to-remain-the-cornerstone-of-pelicans/article_8aead765-a4fc-4757-b4bb-4f02303a3e43.html" rel="noopener">“continue to be a focal point”</a> for the franchise.</p><p>“I’ve had really good conversations with Zion,” Dumars said. “We’ve had lunch. Dinner. Watched playoff games together. We’ve done it all. I’ve had some real, honest conversations with him. Some real, direct, and honest conversations. We’re going to go forward with Zion. He’s going to continue to be a focal point here as we go forward.”</p><p>It seems as if Dumars and Williamson have cemented a relationship together, even mentioning when they attended the NBA Draft Lottery this past May.</p><p>“I sent him to the lottery for a reason,” Dumars said. “I want him to start focusing on the responsibilities of being the best player here and the focal point. There are some responsibilities that come with that. Go represent your organization.”</p><h2><b>Some within Pelicans speak about the allegations against Zion Williamson</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Zion-Williamson-of-the-New-Orleans-Pelicans.jpg"><figcaption>Rob Gray-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>While some of the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-owner-gayle-benson-breaks-silence-zion-williamson-rape-lawsuit">Pelicans have broken their silence over the allegations</a> against Williams, such as owner Gayle Benson, it seems as if she downplayed the news. Saying that “people can sue you for anything” when asked about the recent court filing in Los Angeles which accusses Willamson of rape and assault in 2020.</p><p>“You know, lawsuits are lawsuits,” Benson said. “You really can’t, you don’t know. I mean, people can sue you for anything. There’s no reason. You can be innocent or not. It’s just something that people do, unfortunately.”</p><p>Dumars wouldn’t give his full thoughts on the matter since he doesn’t delve into legal matters.</p><p>“I’ve been advised not to venture into any of his legal issues,” Dumars said.</p><p>Speaking about Williamson’s ventures on the court, it’s been an arguable mixed bag as he’s a two-time All-Star, but has missed a ton of time with injuries.</p><p>“We’ve had some real direct conversations with him about that,” Dumars said. “Expectations. Accountability. That’s our plan going forward with Zion.”</p><p>At any rate, New Orleans is looking to vastly improve after finishing last season with a 21-61 record, which put them 14th in the Western Conference.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Pelicans’ Zion Williamson hit with ‘focal point’ label by Joe Dumars

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-owner-gayle-benson-breaks-silence-zion-williamson-rape-lawsuit');   ga('set', 'title', 'Pelicans owner Gayle Benson breaks silence on Zion Williamson rape lawsuit');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Zion-Williamson-of-the-New-Orleans-Pelicans.jpg"><figcaption>Rob Gray-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Pelicans owner Gayle Benson breaks silence on Zion Williamson rape lawsuit</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-03T13:42:48-07:00">June 3rd, 1:42pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-03T13:42:48-07:00">June 3rd, 1:42pm</time><address><a>Benedetto Vitale</a>Benedetto Vitale is an avid sports writer who is an expert at covering the NFL, college football, NBA, and UFC. He graduated from the University of Oregon in 2016 with a film degree but has since dedicated his career to sports writing.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>New Orleans Pelicans’ star forward <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-zion-williamson-accused-rape-recent-la-court-filing">Zion Williamson is facing legal trouble</a>, as he’s in a lawsuit facing rape allegations. The organization has been quiet about the allegations so far; however, on Tuesday, team owner Gayle Benson broke her silence and addressed the situation.</p><p>While talking with reporters of WWL-TV, an affiliate of CBS News based in New Orleans, Benson sort of brushed Williamson’s lawsuit <a href="https://x.com/WWLTV/status/1929973032514109596" rel="noopener">off her shoulders</a>, claiming that people sue others for all sorts of reasons. Zion Williamson is innocent until proven guilty, and that’s the exact approach the Pelicans’ owner is taking on this matter. Benson is seemingly supporting Williamson with the lawsuit ongoing.</p><p>“You know, lawsuits are lawsuits… People can sue for anything. There’s no reason. You can be innocent or not. So, it’s just something that people do. Unfortunately.”</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Gayle Benson on Zion Williamson lawsuit: 'People can sue you for anything'</p><p>Full story:<a href="https://t.co/gF9zHRGHUx">https://t.co/gF9zHRGHUx</a> <a href="https://t.co/bIQtXWWxXM">pic.twitter.com/bIQtXWWxXM</a></p><p>— WWL-TV (@WWLTV) <a href="https://twitter.com/WWLTV/status/1929973032514109596?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 3, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>Zion Williamson faces serous allegations that involve rape, physical assault, and death threats. Shortly after the lawsuit was made public, Williamson’s legal team <a href="https://x.com/WillGuillory/status/1928520188581863529" rel="noopener">issued a statement,</a> acknowledging the seriousness of the allegations while also denying them, according to Will Guillory of The Athletic.</p><p>“We take these allegations with the utmost seriousness, and we unequivocally deny them,” Williamson’s legal team said in a statement. “The allegations contained in the complaint are categorically false and reckless. This is the plaintiff’s third set of attorneys. This appears to be an attempt to exploit a professional athlete driven by a financial motive rather than any legitimate grievance.”</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Zion Williamson's legal team releases a statement addressing the recent allegations against him <a href="https://t.co/dgQzbz9527">pic.twitter.com/dgQzbz9527</a></p><p>— Will Guillory (@WillGuillory) <a href="https://twitter.com/WillGuillory/status/1928520188581863529?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 30, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>The 24-year-old forward has not made any public statements regarding the allegations. Instead, Zion Williamson is letting his legal team take charge of the lawsuit. In the meantime, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-rumors-zion-williamson-trade-offers-to-feature-bad-contracts-no-picks">the Pelicans star is involved in trade rumors</a> with the offseason quickly approaching.</p><p>Williamson played just 30 games for New Orleans this season as he’s been dealing with a bone bruise in his lower back. However, when healthy, he is undeniably one of the best players on the court. Zion Williamson ended the 2024-25 campaign averaging 24.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 1.2 steals per game while shooting 56.7% from the floor and 23.1% from the three-point line.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Pelicans owner Gayle Benson breaks silence on Zion Williamson rape lawsuit

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/celebrity/attorney-declines-representing-moriah-mills-in-zion-williamson-case');   ga('set', 'title', 'Attorney declines representing Moriah Mills in Zion Williamson case');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Attorney-declines-representing-Moriah-Mills-in-Zion-Williamson-case.jpg"></figure><h1>Attorney declines representing Moriah Mills in Zion Williamson case</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-03T12:19:02-07:00">June 3rd, 12:19pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-03T12:19:02-07:00">June 3rd, 12:19pm</time><address><a href="http://designsux.com">Burtland Dixon</a>As an avid enthusiast of entertainment, Burtland Dixon is a passionate individual who revels in the magic of movies, sports, music, and pop culture. Whether it's catching the latest blockbuster, watching the marquee matchup of the week, attending live concerts, or getting immersed in the world of gaming, Burtland finds joy in all forms of entertainment.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Celebrity</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Moriah Mills won’t be heading into any potential legal battle with <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/celebrity/moriah-mills-reveals-possible-lawsuit-plans-against-zion-williamson">Zion Williamson</a> backed by powerhouse attorney Tony Buzbee. The high-profile lawyer <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2025/06/03/tony-buzbee-declines-to-represent-moriah-mills-in-case-vs-zion-williamson/" rel="noopener">confirmed he declined to take</a> Mills’ case after she reached out seeking representation regarding unspecified legal action she’s been considering against the Pelicans star, per TMZ.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Moriah Mills contacted attorney Tony Buzbee about suing NBA star Zion Williamson—but Buzbee declined to take her case, stating that they reviewed her claims and chose not to represent her.</p><p>Buzbee offered no further comment on her allegations.</p><p>“We can’t help them all.” <a href="https://t.co/JaHpcVoFhq">pic.twitter.com/JaHpcVoFhq</a></p><p>— No Jumper (@nojumper) <a href="https://twitter.com/nojumper/status/1929948637661999466?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 3, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://instagram.com/embed.js"></script></p></figure><p>“A member of our staff spoke to her,” Buzbee told TMZ Sports. “<b>After review we declined to take her case.</b>” While he wouldn’t elaborate on the reasons, he noted that his firm hears from people across the country daily and only selects a few cases to pursue. Mills later confirmed that Buzbee passed on the opportunity, saying her situation didn’t align with the kind of litigation he typically handles.</p><p>This development comes amid renewed controversy surrounding Williamson. Last week, a separate woman filed a sexual assault lawsuit accusing him of a five-year pattern of abuse, including allegations of rape and physical, emotional, and financial harm. The woman, identified only as Jane Doe, says she dated Williamson during his freshman year at Duke and continued their relationship through 2023. She is seeking monetary damages for emotional distress.</p><p>Williamson, through his legal team, has denied all claims in the lawsuit. “We take these allegations with the utmost seriousness, and we unequivocally deny them,” his attorneys said in a statement shared with ESPN. “The allegations contained in the complaint are categorically false and reckless. This appears to be an attempt to exploit a professional athlete driven by a financial motive rather than any legitimate grievance.”</p><p>As for Mills, her prior history with Zion Williamson has mostly played out online. Roughly two years ago, she unleashed a string of damning social media posts, including one where she accused him of being intimate with her shortly before he announced his partner’s pregnancy. Whether she plans to continue pursuing legal action without Buzbee remains to be seen.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

2024-25 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
24.5	7.5	4.8	1.0	1.4

2024-25 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
24.5	7.5	4.8	1.0	1.4

Zion Williamson

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Attorney declines representing Moriah Mills in Zion Williamson case

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