New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton and quarterback Drew Brees met their new neighbors on Friday, when some big names from next-door stepped over to observe the first Saints training camp practice of the summer. New Orleans Pelicans draft picks Zion Williamson and Jaxson Hayes accompanied head coach Alvin Gentry and executive vice president David Griffin for a quick visit to take a look at what the black and gold were cooking up.
Williamson and Griffin arrived in New Orleans with much fanfare, helping energize a fanbase that was all too eager to look towards Saints training camp in the wake of the Anthony Davis trade earlier this year. Now, it’s beginning to look like the Saints and Pelicans each have some superstar personalities in their own right. And no one should be more pleased about that development than Gayle Benson, who owns both teams.
Benson has invested plenty in both franchises, signing off on millions of dollars in improvements to the Pelicans practice facility while taking steps to upgrade the Saints practice field with covered, misting seating for fans and spectators. That’s a welcome development considering temperatures routinely climb into the triple-digits during the New Orleans summer.
Brees and Payton have welcomed Williamson to the city with open arms, with Brees gifting the top pick in this year’s NBA Draft a signed jersey and a message of “passing the torch” to New Orleans’ next big name. Payton has joked about wanting to try the 6-foot-7, 285-pound Williamson out at defensive end, or maybe tight end, though he understands not many shot-callers from Williamson’s agents to the Pelicans brass would sign off on that. It’s a fun time to be keeping up with both teams.
