New Orleans Pelicans: Best Interviews and Social Media Presence

In a recent roundtable of beat writers, Jim Eichenhofer explained who on the New Orleans Pelicans gives the best interview and is best on social media.

Southwest Division beat writers, including Jim Eichenhofer for the New Orleans Pelicans, were asked to answer a variety of questions about their respective teams.

The roundtable discussion included media members from the Houston Rockets, Dallas Mavericks, Memphis Grizzlies, San Antonio Spurs and New Orleans Pelicans.

Who is the Best Player to Interview?

The first question they were asked was about interviews and  which players gives the best one. They asked each writer to consider things like “insight,” “entertainment” and “information.”

Eichenhofer was unable to narrow it down, so he gave an answer for each category. He chose J.J. Redick because he has experience and a wide-range of knowledge about different topics. Redick hosts his own podcast, so it is not surprising he is a good interview.

For “insight” he chose rookie Zion Williamson, which was a bit of a surprise considering the rookie is only 19-years-old and has played just 19 games in the league.

Eichenhofer said:

"“No. 1 draft pick Zion Williamson immediately impressed media members – both in New Orleans and in road cities – for his thoughtful responses to questions. He has a maturity beyond his 19 years and a humble demeanor that translates extremely well to media sessions.”"

One of the biggest changes in players over the last twenty years is how polished and sophisticated they’ve become when it comes to giving interviews. Guys like Zion are practically professional media personalities by the time they get out of college.

Zion has already proven that he’s a mature teenager, but he is also great at breaking down film and explaining the nuances of the game.

Not surprisingly, Eichenhofer listed Nicolo Melli as the most entertaining interview. Melli has been all over social media during the hiatus trying to entertain fans.

But his second answer was a surprise, as most fans aren’t even familiar with Zylan Cheatham, though he is a guy who could play a role for the Pelicans next year.

"“Two underrated Pelicans interviewees are Italian forward Nicolo Melli – who is hilarious, as people are increasingly realizing during this hiatus – and two-way contract forward Zylan Cheatham, a dynamic personality but unfamiliar to most fans since he spent most of ’19-20 in the G League.”"

Who has the best social media presence?

The second question was about social media presence. There was one player who immediately stuck out, and Eichenhofer agreed.

Josh Hart is by far the team’s most active social media user and uses sites like Twitch to connect with fans and talk trash about video games. He recently treated fans to a NSFW meltdown during a Call of Duty tournament, which delighted his fellow competitors.

Jaxson Hayes, Lonzo Ball and Jrue Holiday were all named by Eichenhofer as well, depending on what you are looking for on social media. Ball and Holiday post a lot about their families, while Hayes is more known for his off-the-cuff rants.

Here’s what Eichenhofer had to say about Holiday:

"“…Jrue Holiday also often emphasizes family when he posts on social media – Pelicans fans love the impossibly-adorable videos of Jrue having fun with his young daughter JT, whether they’re inside the Smoothie King Center or on a bike ride through their neighborhood.”"

The New Orleans Pelicans are a young team and rather quiet for a squad with so many talented young players, but as they get more comfortable in the league, some personalities are sure to emerge.

The Southwest Division is loaded with young talent that will be battling it out on the court and on the Internet for years to come.