Joe Dumars Urges Zion Williamson to Stay Obsessed With Basketball
New Orleans Pelicans executive vice president of basketball operations Joe Dumars has delivered a clear message to Zion Williamson ahead of the 2026–27 NBA season: if the former No. 1 overall pick wants to reach his full potential, he has to remain completely committed to the game.
Dumars said he has been particularly encouraged by what he has seen from Williamson during the offseason, praising the star forward’s approach to training and preparation.
“You Can’t Casually Become Great”
Dumars’ message to Williamson was direct.
“To be great, you have to be obsessed with this. You can’t casually become great in this league.”
According to Dumars, Williamson has shown that level of commitment this summer, which he considers a particularly encouraging sign heading into the new season.
The comments are significant because consistency and availability have been major themes throughout Williamson’s NBA career.
Williamson Coming Off a Healthier Season
The 2025–26 campaign represented a step forward in terms of Williamson’s availability. He played 62 games, his second-highest total in an NBA season, and averaged 21.0 points, 5.7 rebounds and 3.2 assists while shooting 60% from the field.
However, his production was down compared with his best seasons, and the Pelicans finished with just 26 wins.
That makes the upcoming campaign particularly important for both Williamson and New Orleans.
Pelicans Want to See What Zion Can Do Under Jamahl Mosley
New Orleans enters the season with a new head coach in Jamahl Mosley, and Dumars has previously indicated that he wants to see Williamson play under Mosley’s system before making major decisions about the team’s future.
Mosley reportedly plans to use Williamson as a point forward, giving him more opportunities to create offense and attack the basket.
That could place even greater responsibility on Williamson to stay healthy, conditioned and engaged throughout the season.
Dumars Is Encouraged by What He’s Seeing
The Pelicans executive isn’t simply asking Williamson to work harder—he says he is already seeing evidence that the star is doing exactly that.
Dumars said Williamson is “obsessed with the work he’s putting in,” describing that development as encouraging for the organization.
That is an important change in tone from some of the uncertainty surrounding Williamson in previous seasons.
No Immediate Trade Plans
Despite continued speculation surrounding Williamson, Dumars has repeatedly indicated that the Pelicans do not currently intend to trade their star.
In April, he said New Orleans had “no intentions” of moving Williamson and was looking forward to having him return and play well.
The Pelicans therefore appear prepared to give Williamson another opportunity to establish himself as the centerpiece of the franchise.
The Bottom Line
Joe Dumars’ message to Zion Williamson is ultimately about consistency, commitment and preparation.
Williamson has already demonstrated that he possesses the physical ability to dominate NBA games. The challenge now is maintaining the work ethic and conditioning required to translate that talent into sustained success.
If Dumars’ assessment of Williamson’s offseason work is accurate, the Pelicans have reason to be optimistic.
For Zion, the next step is simple: stay obsessed with the work—and finally turn that extraordinary talent into a consistently dominant NBA season.