In sports like the NBA or the NFL, liking something as nerdy as anime can get you ostracized from the more veteran teammates in the game. This is a generational issue that has persisted for many years, although Zion Williamson is trying to break the stereotype. He has recently been promoting a Jordan Brand shoe with a Naruto anime theme, which sold out within minutes of launching all around the world.
Zion Williamson has become one of Jordan Brand’s most marketable athletes despite being sidelined for the entirety of the last season. For the New Orleans Pelicans player, basketball seems only a part of his life as he takes on different hobbies during this time of injury recovery. Although most pundits surely have demanded more from his level of commitment, the Pelicans still decided to extend his contract.
Zion’s confession about anime in the NBA
While promoting the new Naruto shoes for NikeZion Williamson spoke to GQ about the importance these characters have in his upbringing. He also attended the most recent San Diego Comic-Con for a panel where he spoke mainly about anime and nothing about basketball. New Orleans Pelicans fans must be fuming at what their franchise player is paying attention to.
He better deliver results as soon as he returns to the court or he will be in deep trouble. When asked about other players liking anime, Zion Williamson addressed a taboo topic that not all NBA players feel comfortable with. Although it’s just anime, most of them feel like they are grown up and they aren’t supposed to like cartoons.
Around 80% of players in the league are into anime; they just won’t admit it.
Another probable reason NBA players are ashamed of accepting that they like anime has to do with their availability to date women. Most of the ladies they try to date are super models or women who think watching anime is a shame. Yet another stereotype that most professional athletes have to deal with on a daily basis. Why can’t the lot of them be like Zion or the UFC’s Isreal Adesanya? None of them care about what people say, although Zion still has a lot to prove on the court.
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