Zion on returning: Physically I'm fine, now it's just a matter of when I feel like Zion. Admits it’s more mental

Reggie

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Zion clearly either doesn't get it or is trying to force the Pelicans hand in to trading him. He should be committed to them though since they have rode it out with him missing the majority of his games thus far in his career. No way should a player ever say that they are healthy enough to play and aren't. Even a teen knows not to say some shyt like that and this is a man that has been media trained for years now. So at this point I gotta say it's cause he's got his sights on getting up outta there. Didn't believe it at one point but all the signs are there now that he isn't committed to the Pelicans whatsoever.
 

Gritsngravy

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Is it really hard to believe that he really is going through a mental hurdle right now, something athletes in particular speak on a lot especially when dealing with injury

Y’all really think this is a plot to get traded, seems like he didn’t trust his body in a real game situation

Didn’t he just have a set back not to long ago too?
 

Damnshow

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If Zion doesn't like playing in Nawlins, that kind of mindset won't get him far. It will be like Steve Francis who cried right after nba draft and his career was short ending in NY where Starbury called him a fakkit :mjlol:

Actually does Zion really want NY? They would eat him alive in the media. Like for real, your team made the playoffs last year without you, you live in a city with decent black population, in America. What more do you need?

He needs to stay away from east coast and their media. They'd call him the next Ben Simmons if he played there.
 
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Is it really hard to believe that he really is going through a mental hurdle right now, something athletes in particular speak on a lot especially when dealing with injury

Y’all really think this is a plot to get traded, seems like he didn’t trust his body in a real game situation

Didn’t he just have a set back not to long ago too?
And yet he’s doing windmill dunks before an elimination play-in game.

When have you ever known a player to dunk multiple times during pregame, yet not ready to actually play in a playoff game situation for the second year running? You don't find that strange? Besides, if he can't overcome the mental hurdle of a hamstring injury to help his team in the playoffs, what does that say about his mental resolve? Does that sound like someone who's doing all that he can to be there for his team? Cats shyt on Ben Simmons, but he had a significant injury where he had surgery on his back. Yet Zion's out here still able to dunk, says he's physically fine, yet still doesn't feel like he can play.

Marinate on that.
 

CrimsonTider

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Is it really hard to believe that he really is going through a mental hurdle right now, something athletes in particular speak on a lot especially when dealing with injury

Y’all really think this is a plot to get traded, seems like he didn’t trust his body in a real game situation

Didn’t he just have a set back not to long ago too?
Yes it’s hard to believe
 

Gritsngravy

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And yet he’s doing windmill dunks before an elimination play-in game.

When have you ever known a player to dunk multiple times during pregame, yet not ready to actually play in a playoff game situation for the second year running? You don't find that strange? Besides, if he can't overcome the mental hurdle of a hamstring injury to help his team in the playoffs, what does that say about his mental resolve? Does that sound like someone who's doing all that he can to be there for his team? Cats shyt on Ben Simmons, but he had a significant injury where he had surgery on his back. Yet Zion's out here still able to dunk, says he's physically fine, yet still doesn't feel like he can play.

Marinate on that.

Yes it’s hard to believe
He looked game ready to yall?
 
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He looked game ready to yall?
He should be.

If he truly cared about the team he would've done his damn best to come back in time, and if he wasn't ready, he shouldn't be showcasing his dunk package during pregame of his team's most important game of the season. He's literally said he's fine, physically. This isn't a case of returning from a significant injury; he hurt his hamstring. It's one of the more low-end injuries you can have. If he can't get over the mental hurdle of that, what hope does he have when he has to deal with an actual serious injury? I told cats years ago that he wouldn't have a long career, but this has pretty much settled it beyond all reasonable doubt now.

CJ has already come out and thrown shots at him so we know there's at least one player in that lockerroom that feels some type of way over this.
 

Gritsngravy

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He should be.

If he truly cared about the team he would've done his damn best to come back in time, and if he wasn't ready, he shouldn't be showcasing his dunk package during pregame of his team's most important game of the season. He's literally said he's fine, physically. This isn't a case of returning from a significant injury; he hurt his hamstring. It's one of the more low-end injuries you can have. If he can't get over the mental hurdle of that, what hope does he have when he has to deal with an actual serious injury? I told cats years ago that he wouldn't have a long career, but this has pretty much settled it beyond all reasonable doubt now.

CJ has already come out and thrown shots at him so we know there's at least one player in that lockerroom that feels some type of way over this.
Sounds like you have confirmation bias, trying to insinuate he Ben simmions, you need to take a chill pill, you not a scout drafting nikkas how can you proclaim somebody will be out the league before the career really started and y’all going to get enough of diminishing professional athletes injuries

His teammates can feel how the feel at the end of the day he didn’t feel ready and he obviously wasn’t ready

I know you a hater and that’s yo shtick on this site so go off with yo opinions, just know you a goofy
 
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Sounds like you have confirmation bias, trying to insinuate he Ben simmions, you need to take a chill pill, you not a scout drafting nikkas how can you proclaim somebody will be out the league before the career really started and y’all going to get enough of diminishing professional athletes injuries

His teammates can feel how the feel at the end of the day he didn’t feel ready and he obviously wasn’t ready

I know you a hater and that’s yo shtick on this site so go off with yo opinions, just know you a goofy
You're quite literally saying nothing here. All these words making no sense, not addressing my argument and without a point. It seems like you slow so I'll ease up.

:salute:
 

Gritsngravy

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You're quite literally saying nothing here. All these words making no sense, not addressing my argument and without a point. It seems like you slow so I'll ease up.

:salute:
Now the hater can’t read all of a sudden, do you only understand hater shyt
 

Remote

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@Gritsngravy

Sounds like you're making excuses for Zion.

Sports are inherently a competitive environment. The best players have a drive to win and be on the floor. And we know that even if a guy cannot perform at 100%, it often helps the team -- both tangibly and psychologically -- if he's out there in some capacity.

It's natural to question a guy who isn't doing everything possible to contribute. And Zion clearly is not doing that.

Willis Reed could barely move and the mere sight of him walking to the court energized the Knicks to a title.
The point I'm making is that even if Zion wasn't going out there to score 30, he would have been a boost to the Pelicans and quite probably would have been a fantastic decoy for his teammates to thrive.

And it would have been without risk to do so. If Zion played and the Pelicans lose anyway, Zion avoids any criticism because he wasn't 100%. If they win, he becomes something of a small legend for helping to lead them to a playoff victory. In an era where there's tremendous hyperbole around every win and every loss...this was a no-lose situation.

Well, almost "no-lose". Zion found the 1 way to guarantee a loss. By not even trying.
 

Gritsngravy

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@Gritsngravy

Sounds like you're making excuses for Zion.

Sports are inherently a competitive environment. The best players have a drive to win and be on the floor. And we know that even if a guy cannot perform at 100%, it often helps the team -- both tangibly and psychologically -- if he's out there in some capacity.

It's natural to question a guy who isn't doing everything possible to contribute. And Zion clearly is not doing that.

Willis Reed could barely move and the mere sight of him walking to the court energized the Knicks to a title.
The point I'm making is that even if Zion wasn't going out there to score 30, he would have been a boost to the Pelicans and quite probably would have been a fantastic decoy for his teammates to thrive.

And it would have been without risk to do so. If Zion played and the Pelicans lose anyway, Zion avoids any criticism because he wasn't 100%. If they win, he becomes something of a small legend for helping to lead them to a playoff victory. In an era where there's tremendous hyperbole around every win and every loss...this was a no-lose situation.

Well, almost "no-lose". Zion found the 1 way to guarantee a loss. By not even trying.
I’m not making excuses, he can play or not play I don’t give a fukk really, but in my eyes he was not in game shape to play

Y’all looking at layup like dunks, this nikka is probably 300 something running up and down the court trying to jump over 7 footers, his knee was going to give out trying to play at REAL game pace, yea he could try but the same people saying he should’ve played would be the same ones calling he dumb for getting injured in a playin game

It is what it is I’m not defending anybody, it’s people on here talking about he doing this as a plot to get traded, all I’m saying is it’s probably really a mental block that’s hurting him

He already told y’all how he cried last year cause of what people was saying and losing weight during the summer, he knows better than anybody else his body wasn’t in game shape and that’s what made him doubt himself of contributing
 

Ironman

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I’m not making excuses, he can play or not play I don’t give a fukk really, but in my eyes he was not in game shape to play

Y’all looking at layup like dunks, this nikka is probably 300 something running up and down the court trying to jump over 7 footers, his knee was going to give out trying to play at REAL game pace, yea he could try but the same people saying he should’ve played would be the same ones calling he dumb for getting injured in a playin game

It is what it is I’m not defending anybody, it’s people on here talking about he doing this as a plot to get traded, all I’m saying is it’s probably really a mental block that’s hurting him

He already told y’all how he cried last year cause of what people was saying and losing weight during the summer, he knows better than anybody else his body wasn’t in game shape and that’s what made him doubt himself of contributing
The problem is he admitted himself he's ready physically
 
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