New Orleans Pelicans Star Going International With Jordan Brand Campaign

The Pelicans forward is seeking his fame to grow internationally with his Jordan Brand affiliation.

Oct 10, 2023; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson smiles before a game against the Orlando Magic at the Smoothie King Center. / Matthew Hinton-USA TODAY Sports

Zion Williamson is already a star in this league, but the New Orleans Pelicans forward has dreams of being an international phenomenon. Being a Jordan Brand athlete gives him recognition under the mighty weight of Michael Jordan's global name status. Williamson is amongst three other NBA Jordan Brand athletes currently in Asia helping to grow the NBA game internationally.

"It's exciting to welcome Jayson, Luka, Zion, and Paolo to China and celebrate the growth of both the game of basketball and Jordan Brand here," says Ari Chen, Jordan Brand VP/GM, Greater China. "They represent the greatness that is the hallmark of Jordan Brand. This tour, while celebrating the community we've built in China, also showcases the resonance of basketball culture across the entire globe. It's a universal language and shows that the future of the Brand is limitless."

The group started in Shanghai for photos before Williamson and Tatum took to the court for some play time with local fans.

Zion and Jayson Tatum vs some fans in China 🤣🔥 @Zionwilliamson @jaytatum0 pic.twitter.com/dbRdbmzcFz

— Overtime (@overtime) August 29, 2024

Next on the week-long tour is a stop at Jordan World of Flight Beijing, hosting a youth basketball camp, and a stop at the Great Wall of China.

Williamson signed a multi-year with Jordan Brand in 2019 after a bidding war between a few shoe manufacturers. The Duke phenom said how much of a dream it was for him to sign to the iconic Michael Jordan.

"Since I was a kid, I dreamed of making it to the league and having the type of impact on the game Michael Jordan had and continues to have today. He was one of those special athletes I looked up to," Williamson said back in 2019.

Jordan's legacy reached meteoric heights the more he won in the NBA. Williamson hasn't had near the start Jordan did in the first five seasons of his career. Injuries have marred the Pelicans forward every season since being drafted No. 1 overall in the 2019 draft.

Williamson has yet to appear in a playoff game despite the Pelicans reaching the postseason in two of the last three seasons. Last season was the healthiest of his career. He appeared in a career-high 70 games and averaged 22.9 points and 5.8 rebounds on 57% shooting from the field.

The injury bug bit Williamson during the Play-In Tournament after he injured his hamstring late in the fourth quarter against the Los Angeles Lakers. His season ended that night after scoring a game-high 40 points. The Pelicans season ended a week and a half later after a first-round sweep to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

New Orleans is counting on Williamson to have another healthy season. The team lost plenty of frontcourt depth this offseason, which may result in him playing center at various times this year. The only chance the Pelicans have at competing this season is with a healthy and focused Zion Williamson. The more he wins, the more his image will grow internationally.