Zion Williamson can’t hide his excitement as he gears up for fun times with new Pelicans teammate

For years, injuries have hurt the promising New Orleans Pelicans. That was the case again last season and, unfortunately, it usually involves Zion Williamson.

With that in mind, new GM Joe Dumars chose to bring in some more help for the former No. 1 pick. That includes Jordan Poole, who showed flashes of star potential with the Golden State Warriors before his struggles in the nation's capital.

That's why Williamson couldn't be more excited about teaming up with the former NBA champion:

"It's about to be a lot of fun," Zion said. "It's great to have him here."

The feeling is mutual. During the Pelicans' media day, the former Washington Wizards guard gushed about all the free space and wide-open looks he can get with Williamson by his side:

"Zion creates so much gravity, but he’s also a great passer. It’s about spacing the floor, creating lanes, and knowing when to touch the ball,” Poole said.

After years of playing on a non-competitive team, Poole made it loud and clear that he wants to get back to his winning ways:

"We want to win, be competitive, and make the playoffs. That starts with the everyday work, details, recovery, and extra shots in film,” he added.

Zion Williamson is in the best shape of his career

As talented and impactful as he is, Williamson has drawn plenty of criticism for his reportedly subpar eating habits and work ethic. He looked overweight at times, and that didn't help with all the injuries.

Now, it looks like he's finally taken things personally, and he showed up looking incredibly slim and in shape:

“We came up with a plan from boxing to working out on the football field, a lot to just different random workouts," Williamson said. "I really felt a shift in my body to where I would look at him and go, ‘Dude, it feels good to feel good.’ I haven’t felt like this since college, high school, just where I can walk into a gym and I feel good.”

Williamson's explosiveness, athleticism, and strength made him an unstoppable force when he drove to the lane, but he was carrying a little too much weight. His body may not be able to hold up for that long.

That's why it's so refreshing to see him take his preparation up a couple of notches. Hopefully, that will finally lead to him being healthy and showing what he can do.