Pelicans Notes: Williamson, Mosley, Bickerstaff, Assistants

Jamahl Mosley was introduced as the Pelicans’ new head coach during a press conference on Tuesday. One of his priorities is to get the most out Zion Williamson, according to ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk.

Mosley is convinced Williamson has a lot more to give.

“He hasn’t even scratched the surface of things he can do,” Mosley said. “I really do believe that. And I think being able to open the floor up more for him, attacking, being able to play him in different positions, because he’s an excellent basketball player with a high IQ for playmaking, for making guys around him better, knowing when to make plays and the right passes to make.”

Williamson’s stats were down this season — 21.0 points and 5.7 rebounds — but he was able to play 62 games. Williamson has played 30 games or less in three of his seven seasons while also missing the entire 2021/22 season due to injuries.

“I think just opening the floor up a lot more for him to attack the basket, giving space, being able to live at the free throw line consistently,” Mosley said. “Some of the things he’s done here have been obviously spectacular — and so just making sure that we continue that, along with us being healthy.”

Here’s more on the Pelicans:

• Mosley was fired by the Magic after they lost in the first round to the Pistons, who are coached by his close friend J.B. Bickerstaff. The Pistons coach believes Mosley is a good fit for the Pelicans’ roster, he told Rod Walker of NOLA.com in a subscription-required story. “With me having built a relationship with Joe Dumars over the years and seeing Troy (Weaver) and having an opportunity to coach some of the players Troy drafted here in Detroit, the (Pelicans) organization is headed in the right direction,” Bickerstaff said. “You look at the talent level on that team now. It’s a team that went through similar injuries (to Orlando) last year. They are talented. With Jamahl’s fit there with his personality and ability to coach and organize and build an environment, I feel like that organization has a chance to take a step this year.”
• In another subscriber-protected post, Walker interviews some of Mosley’s former college teammate and NBA personnel and comes away with the notion that Mosley is a workaholic who strives to excel. One NBA front office executive who wanted to remain anonymous told Walker “Jamahl did an incredible job of resetting the culture in Orlando by establishing a defensive identity and demanding accountability. Their offensive players bought into defending everynight. The Magic went from a bottom-five defense to one of the best defensive teams in the NBA. That type of transformation starts with the coach setting standards and commitment from the players.”
• A quartet of assistants have followed Mosley to New Orleans and their roles are defined, Walker tweets. God Shammgod will be involved in player development and in-game game planning/adjustments; Bret Brielmaier will coordinate the offense, while Dale Osbourne will coordinate the defense. Randy Gregory will head up player development.