New Orleans Pelicans Power Forward Zion Williamson Had The Support of His Athletic Parents Sharonda Sampson And Lee Anderson, From A Young Age

January 5, 2026

This article was last updated by Sangita Budhathoki on January 5, 2026

NBA star Zion Williamson and his parents, Sharonda Sampson and Lee Anderson, have a strong bond, with the couple defending their son’s off-court antics in recent years. Lee Anderson is Zion’s stepfather and started coaching the Pelicans player alongside Sharonda when he turned four.

Williamson, 25, became a household name in the nation even before he enrolled at Duke in 2018.

At Duke, Zion only played one season, during which he became the consensus National Player of the Year and a consensus First-team All-America selection.

Before joining Duke, Zion led his high school, Spartanburg Day School, to three consecutive South Carolina AA State Championships and was honored as a McDonald’s All-American.

In the 2019 NBA Draft, the New Orleans Pelicans selected Zion as the No. 1 overall pick.

Since joining the NBA, Williamson hasn’t been able to recapture the same magic he had in his teenage years.

He has made it to the NBA All-Star team twice, but Zion fans certainly expected more than this.

In the last couple of seasons, the NBA media has questioned Zion’s drive for the sport and whether he will ever reach his true capability.

Despite making the news for the wrong reasons in recent years, Zion recently made headlines for the right cause.

The NBA player donated $100,000 to the Greater New Orleans Foundation’s Tragedy fund in the wake of the recent terrorist attack.

Zion Williamson Gets His Athletic Gene From His Parents, Sharonda And Lateef Williamson

The New Orleans Pelicans power forward Zion Williamson was blessed with super athletic genes from his parents, Sharonda Sampson and Lateef Williamson.

Zion doesn’t have the best relationship with his biological father, Lateef Williamson.

But like Zion, Lateef was known for his athletic abilities during high school and college.

Lateef Williamson was a 6’5 defensive linesman and was offered a football scholarship from North Carolina State.

In the 1990s, Lateef was described as an imposing physical specimen to come to NC State in recent years.

Mike O’Cain, the former NC State coach who recruited ,

He was a heck of an athlete for his size. He could’ve been a good defensive lineman.

Lateef’s academic performance cost him his scholarship, and he later transferred to Livingstone College in Salisbury, North Carolina.

At Livingstone College, Lateef was a member of the 1997 and 1998 CIAA Championship football teams.

Lateef is available on Facebook and has previously

Zion’s mom, Sharonda Sampson, met Lateef at Livingstone College, where she ran track.

After she and Lateef separated, Sharonda began training her son.

She coached Zion for the first time at the Florence Family YMCA when he first started playing organized basketball.

Sampson continued coaching Williamson through middle school, after which Zion’s stepfather, Lee Anderson, began looking after him.

Zion Williamson’s Stepfather Lee Anderson Has Played A Big Role In His Life

Like his biological father, Lateef, Zion’s stepfather, Lee Anderson, was also a collegiate athlete.

Anderson played as a guard at Clemson College and previously said he was close to making it to the NBA.

In an , Lee said he was two weeks from returning to the Lakers camp.

He got into an accident, and while getting carried to the ambulance, Anderson and God were having a conversation. Anderson said:

Before they placed me in the ambulance, me and God were having a conversation. He said to me, “This was not my plan for your life. This was not my plan. I will less you with your children.

via:

Anderson coached AAU teams in Florence and Sarator, and when Zion had to go to high school, Sharonda and Lee left Florence.

In an interview with , Sharonda and Lee said they wanted Zion to be challenged more academically and play for a familiar coach, Lee Sartor.

On Father’s Day, Zion wished Lee with an .

The basketball player wrote:

Happy Father’s Day to my step dad, who has been there for me since I was 4, teaching me the game I love and showing me how to be a man.

In 2026, Lee defended Zion after adult film star Moriah Mills tweeted a series of NSFW posts about Zion after the NBA star announced he was expecting his first child with his girlfriend.

, Lee Anderson told the media to believe half of what they see and nothing they hear. He added he stands by his son 100%.

In Case You Didn’t Know

Zion Williamson has a half-brother, Noah Anderson, the son of Lee Anderson and Sharonda Sampson.
In 2026, Zion, his stepfather, and his mother were involved in a lawsuit after having failed to pay back $1.8 million of a $2 million loan.

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Sriyukta Pradhananga is a versatile writer with a keen interest in exploring the multifaceted dimensions of sports. Her articles offer readers a dynamic blend of insightful analysis, engaging storytelling, and thought-provoking commentary that sheds light on the diverse experiences within the athletic realm.

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