Zion Williamson and the young Pelicans are putting in the work

Zion Williamson and the young New Orleans Pelicans are already in the gym working for next season.

The Pelicans got huge and unexpected contributions from three rookies this season in Herb Jones, Jose Alvarado and Trey Murphy III, who were all playing impact minutes in the playoff series against the Suns.

Jones went on to make All-Rookie and the un-drafted Alvarado won over fans with his defensive intensity and infectious energy. Murphy III came on late in the season, showing he can be a knock-down shooter who isn’t afraid of the big moment.

But they all have things they need to improve, so it’s great to see them back in the gym already, with Zion Williamson right in the mix:

You can see all of the photos from the Ochsner Sports Performance Center here, but a few things stood out right away.

Zion Williamson and the young Pelicans putting in the work

First off, it’s great to see Zion Williamson working out with his teammates, as this was not the case for much of last offseason, when he was off doing own thing and got injured.

It’s also great to see the big man looking fit, which is an understatement, as he not only looks to be in great shape, but it appears he may have put on even more muscle.

There have been a lot of misconceptions about Zion Williamson over the last year, so he will hopefully put them to rest by having a strong offseason and then coming into the season ready to take over the league.

All of this year’s rookies were in attendance, as well as Naji Marshall and Jaxson Hayes, two guys who are entering a “prove it” year for the Pelicans.

While the Pelicans’ veterans are getting some much-needed rest and time off (or in the case of CJ McCollum, launching a promising TV career), the young guys are in the gym putting in the hours, which is what it takes to be great in the NBA.

CJ McCollum also stated he’d be working out with Zion Williamson later in the offseason, so the Pelicans should be able to build chemistry and avoid the slow start that set them back this season.

The Pelicans’ culture has shifted behind young players who injected some life into the franchise but they aren’t going to be satisfied with what they’ve already achieved.