Tuesday 17 March 2020 07:05, UK
New Orleans Pelicans rookie star Zion Williamson has pledged to cover salaries for workers at the team's Smoothie King Center for 30 days following the NBA's action to suspend game play for the 2019-20 season.
Williamson took to Instagram to announce the donation and his appreciation for the Smoothie King Center staff since his arrival in New Orleans after being selected No 1 overall in the 2019 NBA Draft.
On March 11, the NBA announced that the league was suspending game play until further notice in response to a player on the Utah Jazz preliminarily testing positive for coronavirus. League commissioner Adam Silver has said the suspension will last at least 30 days.
Williamson wrote: "The people of New Orleans have been incredibly welcoming and supportive since I was drafted by the Pels last June, and some of the most special people I have met are those who work at Smoothie King Center. These are the folks who make our games possible, creating the perfect environment for our fans and everyone involved in the organisation.
"Unfortunately, many of them are still recovering from long-term challenges created by (Hurricane) Katrina, and now face the economic impact of the postponement of games because of the virus. My mother has always set an example for me about being respectful for others and being grateful for what we have, and so today I am pledging to cover the salaries for all of those Smoothie King Center workers for the next 30 days.
"This is a small way for me to express my support and appreciation for these wonderful people who have been so great to me and my team-mates and hopefully we can all join together to relieve some of the stress and hardship caused by this national health crisis.
"This is an incredibly resilient city full of some of the most resilient people, but sometimes providing a little extra assistance can make things a little easier for the community."
