By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
As the season progresses, New Orleans Pelicans coach Willie Greein keeps putting bigger faith in Willy Hernangomez. He spent 20 minutes on the court in a win against Denver Nuggets, scoring 12 points and grabbing eight rebounds against the defending MVP Nikola Jokic.
For that, Zion Williamson applauds him.
“We have a lot of depth in this team, which is a special team. People forget that Willy Hernangómez was the MVP in Europe. If you have a basketball mentality, it’s not easy because the rules there are tougher. It’s a different kind of basketball. The field is smaller in that sense or the way of playing, and he won the MVP with all that.”
The No. 1 pick from the 2019 NBA draft hopes they will spend more time on the court together.
“Willy and I talked about all that and about his time. I tell him, “I wish I played with you more.” But he understands what this sport is like, and when he is called to play, he always steps forward,” added Zion Williamson, impressed by the center’s mentality despite his lack of minutes.
Hernangomez joined the Pelicans on 30 November 2020, and since then, he has played 97 regular season games scoring 9,1 points with 6,8 rebounds on average during the last season. In the summer, he won the Eurobasket with the Spanish national team and the MVP honors.
New Orleans Pelicans made a breakthrough this season and are currently sitting in second place in the Western Conference standings with an excellent 15-8 score.