Pelicans Troll ESPN's Stephen A. Smith Over Zion Williamson Comments

The New Orleans Pelicans responded to Smith's criticism of Williamson's injury history with a video mocking his own athletic abilities.

Published on Mar. 4, 2026

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The New Orleans Pelicans took to social media to poke fun at ESPN commentator Stephen A. Smith after he criticized Pelicans star Zion Williamson's injury history and availability. The Pelicans posted a video showing Smith's own struggles with various sports, telling him to "stick to solitaire" - a reference to a viral photo of Smith playing solitaire on his phone during an NBA Finals game.

Why it matters

The back-and-forth between the Pelicans and Stephen A. Smith highlights the ongoing debate around Zion Williamson's injury issues and ability to stay healthy, which has been a major storyline throughout his NBA career so far. The Pelicans' trolling response also speaks to the team's frustration with the constant criticism from media personalities like Smith.

The details

In his recent comments, Smith criticized Williamson's availability, noting that the star player has missed more games (275) than he has played in (259) over his career. The Pelicans responded by posting a video on social media showing Smith struggling with various sports, a clear jab at his credibility to comment on Williamson's athletic abilities. The video comes after a viral photo emerged of Smith playing solitaire on his phone during an NBA Finals game.

  • On March 4, 2026, the Pelicans posted the video trolling Stephen A. Smith on social media.
  • In the video, the Pelicans referenced a photo of Smith playing solitaire on his phone during Game 4 of the 2025 NBA Finals.

The players

Stephen A. Smith

A prominent ESPN commentator known for his outspoken opinions on NBA players and teams.

Zion Williamson

The star player for the New Orleans Pelicans, who has dealt with injury issues throughout his NBA career so far.

New Orleans Pelicans

The NBA team that responded to Stephen A. Smith's criticism of Zion Williamson with a trolling video on social media.

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What they’re saying

“He's played in 259 games in his career, he's missed 275. You're looking at him right now and you're saying to yourself, 'Of course he's not a bust,' because the brother can ball. He's averaging 21 a game which is down from last year, down from the year before. ...When he's healthy and on the basketball court we know what he can do, it was just about his dedication to being available to do it.”

— Stephen A. Smith, ESPN Commentator (Bleacher Report)

“Stick to solitaire.”

— New Orleans Pelicans (X (social media)

What’s next

The Pelicans' response to Stephen A. Smith's comments is likely to further stoke the ongoing debate around Zion Williamson's injury history and availability. It remains to be seen if Smith will respond to the team's trolling video.

The takeaway

This incident highlights the contentious relationship between NBA teams and outspoken media personalities like Stephen A. Smith, who are often quick to criticize players' performance and availability. The Pelicans' creative response shows they are willing to push back against perceived unfair criticism of their star player.