NBA legend Joe Dumars shared a recent conversation with New Orleans Pelicans power forward Zion Williamson during an interview and encouraged the player to take on greater responsibility with the team.

Zion Williamson, 25, still performed well in the 2024/25 NBA season, but he suffered another injury in March and was ruled out for the season. He only played in 30 games, averaging 24.6 points, 5.3 assists and 23.1% 3-point shooting percentage.

Speaking of Zion Williamson, Joe Dumars, who became the New Orleans Pelicans' director of basketball operations in April, said, "I spoke to him recently and talked about the responsibilities that come with being a great player, being a leader, a captain, the best player and the face of the franchise."

"I also told him that these roles come with great responsibility, and that he's 25 now, so it's time to take on that responsibility. That was a big part of our conversation, just embracing his big identity on and off the court."

In addition, Joe Dumars also said, "He also knows clearly why I say this, which is because I care about him and want to help him become a real professional player."