NBA rookie star Zion Williamson announced he will pay the salaries of all the team’s arena staff worker for the next 30 days since the season was shut down because of the coronavirus:
New Orleans' Zion Williamson says he is pledging to cover the salaries for all of the Pelicans arena staff workers for the next 30 days.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 13, 2020
From Instagram:
“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 organization. Unfortunately, many of them are still recovering from long term challenges created by 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 teammates 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.”
What a nice gesture:
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But, you know, he’s rich but not billionaire-owner-of-the-team rich:
Zion Williamson is a 19-year-old rookie.
Pelicans owner Gayle Benson has a net worth in the billions.https://t.co/GwlLMVpdrh
— Brandon Wall (@Walldo) March 13, 2020
Some teams are helping out, however. The Golden State Warriors have pledged $1 million for out-of-work employees:
Warriors to donate $1 million to out-of-work Chase Center employees https://t.co/wwMl6iRHLo
— Mercury News (@mercnews) March 14, 2020
As has Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban:
“I reached out … to find out what it would cost to financially support people who aren’t going to be able to come to work.”
–Mark Cuban on his plan for Mavericks employees during the NBA suspension pic.twitter.com/McOl1vHUqO
— ESPN (@espn) March 12, 2020
So, where are the rest of them?
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