Zion Williamson Gets Fed Up With Reporter Asking Why Kendrick Lamar Wasn't On His Playlist

BYZachary Horvath7.7K Views
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New Orleans Pelicans v Oklahoma City Thunder - Game Two
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA - APRIL 24: Zion Williamson #1 of the New Orleans Pelicans sits on the bench during game two of the first round of the NBA playoffs against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Paycom Center on April 24, 2024 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
Clearly, this NBA journalist is a K. Dot stan.

The 2024-2025 NBA season is approaching fast, and this year's media day has already come and went. However, one team's player is making some headlines for their press conference appearance. According to Billboard, New Orleans Pelicans star forward Zion Williamson answered various questions throughout his 13 minutes on the mic. However, one reporter toward the end really got on Zion's nerves. At around the 12:30 mark, the man asks him a two-parter. One of them is basketball related in regard to his new teammate Dejounte Murray. The other one though, was completely unrelated to the Pelicans.

It was a pretty confrontational one, as the reporter inquired, "Why wasn't Kendrick Lamar on your list for off-season workout playlists"? Previously, Zion Williamson stated that he had been bumping a lot of Nas, Larry June, Curren$y, and Biggie. This obviously pushed some sort of button for the reporter because he feels "like you have two good songs you could’ve been playing in the gym". Zion wanted to know which songs he was referring to. That's when the man replied, "‘Euphoria’ and ‘Not Like Us.’ Where was the greatness of the summer in your tracklist"?

Zion Williamson Was Done With The Press Conference After This

The former Duke Blue Devil let the obvious Lamar stan that he's got a lot of respect for the MC. "I hear you", he began. However, he just ultimately didn't choose to have him playing during his training sessions. "But you know, you’re entitled to your opinion. I’m entitled to mine". Not too long after saying that though, Zion grew frustrated and wound up ending his press conference perhaps sooner than expected after saying, "But saying that c’mon, it’s Kendrick Lamar. Like, I really gotta sit up here and talk about how good of an artist he is"? Overall, it's a pretty uncomfortable interaction, so if you get secondhand embarrassment, don't say we didn't warn you.

What are your thoughts on Zion Williamson leaving his press conference after a back-and-forth debate about Kendrick Lamar? Who do you think was more valid in this situation and why? We would like to hear what you have to say, so leave your thoughts in the comments. Additionally, always keep it locked in with HNHH for all of the latest news surrounding the NBA and Kendrick Lamar. Finally, stay with us for everything else going on in the worlds of music and sports.

About The Author
Zachary Horvath is one of the Music Freelance News Writers at HotNewHipHop and has held that title since August 2023. Prior to this position, he held another freelance gig covering local high school football, girls and boys varsity basketball, in addition to recapping Cleveland Cavaliers games remotely. He's taken the previous experience and used it to become a jack of all trades at HotNewHipHop. Zach has thoroughly enjoyed tackling some of the trending topics in sports, with a larger focus on hip-hop and pop culture. Some of those include Bronny James's draft stock, a multitude of angles swirling around the Drake and Kendrick Lamar beef, as well as Diddy's arrest and lawsuits. Separate from the headlines that everyone wants to hear about, he was fortunate enough to help spread Zaytoven's current thoughts at the time around mid-December in 2023. Even though being able to give his expertise on these stories is fulfilling, being able to share his passion for releases trumps that ever so slightly. Having the chance to express his excitement indirectly about what he thinks our readers should be checking out/revisiting grows his passion for writing that much more.
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