(Ep061) Larry Nance Jr: Battling Zion Williamson in Practice & How to Make an NBA Roster
In our first interview with Larry Nance Jr., he shared how his tryout got him drafted by the Lakers, what Byron Scott taught him about how to get more playing time, and why Damian Lillard is such a strong leader. Since then, Larry and teammate CJ McCollum got traded from the Blazers to the New Orleans Pelicans.
Though Zion Williamson was out injured, Larry, CJ, and Brandon Ingram took a team that had started 1-13 on a strong push in the final weeks of the season and earned them a spot in the NBA Play-In. They beat the Spurs and the Clippers to tee up a first round series against Devin Booker, Chris Paul, and the Phoenix Suns. Exceeding expectations, the Pelicans pushed the Suns to six games, who needed a perfect game from Paul to advance. Larry took time out of Pelicans training camp to come back on the Basketball Strong Podcast, and he shared:
How guarding Zion Williamson reminds him of battling Julius Randle as a rookie
What he told Zion about treating his body like a Lamborghini
Which playoff moment showed him Willie Green’s coaching excellence
How young players can make an NBA roster and the habits veterans need to stay in the league
What it’s really like inside an NBA training camp
Follow Larry’s season with the Pelicans on Instagram at @larrydn7 And learn more about his and Noah Weber’s foundation, Athletes vs. Crohn’s & Colitis, on their feed @athletesvscrohns
