New Orleans Pelicans play-by-play announcer Joel Meyers and color analyst Antonio Daniels gave fans a preview the New Orleans Pelicans’ 2020-21 NBA season on SiriusXM NBA Radio on Dec. 16. The Fox Sports New Orleans broadcast duo was joined by special guests Pelicans executive vice president of basketball operations David Griffin, Coach Stan Van Gundy, forward Zion Williamson, and guard JJ Redick.
Griffin spoke about what went into the process of hiring Van Gundy.
“I think what we were looking for was a teacher,” Griffin said. “Somebody that was going to be a dense, attention to detail, sort of accountability-driven coach that could sort of raise the young kids in that environment.”
Van Gundy, who last served as the head coach and president of basketball operations of the Detroit Pistons from 2014-18, enters his 16th season as an NBA head coach.
“I’m really happy and honored to have this opportunity,” Van Gundy said. “There’s a lot of great coaches out there, and when you’re out, you never know when your chance is coming again because there are so many people. I’m very, very fortunate to not only be back having a job but to have this job with the roster we have, with the front office we have, with the ownership we have, and with the city we get to live in.”
Williamson talked about beginning his second season without a minutes restriction.
“As I begin my second season, I have a feeling of what the NBA is like now,” Williamson said. “With Gundy as our coach and the assistant coaches he brought in, everything is a lot more detailed. And I’m continuing to learn as I go, and I can’t ask for much more than that.”
Click here to listen to the entire Pelicans preview show on SiriusXM
