In the inaugural In-Season tournament semi-finals, the Los Angeles Lakers annihilated the New Orleans Pelicans. With a score of 133-89, the City of Angles did not even give a chance to the Crescent City to make a comeback. And the driving force of the Lakers, who guided them to victory, was the ‘Chosen One’, LeBron James. The 39-year-old star outperformed every youngster on the court and proved to the world why he is considered one of the best to play the sport.

Looking at James’ performance, however, an ex-Pelicans star compared him with the Pelicans forward, Zion Willamson. On the ESPN First Take, the former Pelicans guard called the New Orleans performance a “no-show.”

Pelicans and Zion Williamson were labeled “no-show”

Former Pelicans star JJ Reddick spoke about Zion Williamson’s performance and was disappointed. On the ESPN First Take, he pointed out that the most energized player on the court was the oldest. He further added by saying, “He(LeBron) was more energized than the 23-year-old Zion Williamson. It mattered more to him. So when we talk about LeBron and his skillset and all the great things he does as a basketball player, let’s talk about his competitive stamina. Let’s talk about the pride he takes, the joy and the love for the game he has rising to the moment.”

Even though early on they were putting up a “teensy” bit of a fight, outside of that Reddick called Pelicans a “no-show”. He, however, went on to praise James for putting up a show in front of a pro-Lakers crowd. He said, “So you have the oldest guy on the court, year 21, playing with the most energy, playing with the most passion.”

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The Akron Hammer scored 30 points in just 23 minutes. He was not only driving the ball but also hitting three-pointers and showing his versatility. Supporting him was Anthony Davis with 16 points and 15 rebounds and Austin Reaves with 17 points. On the other side, how many points did Zion Williamson score?

How did Zanos perform against the Lakers?

Zion Willamson did not look dominating at any point throughout the game. He only managed to score 13 points and added 2 rebounds and 3 assists. The 2x All-Star also acknowledged that he did not perform up to the mark and said, “I got to be better.” He further admitted saying, “I think I was too laid-back tonight, and I just can’t do that. And defensively I got to be better.”

Despite his effectiveness on the shots he did take, shooting 6-of-8 from the field, Williamson’s general lack of aggression and effort was noticeable. Williamson’s development into a real NBA superstar will likely be closely studied as the Pelicans continue their season trip, with insights obtained from nights like this when they face the experienced LeBron James.

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