Pelicans Star Zion Williamson Pledges to Pay the Salaries for Staffers of the Smoothie King Center

New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson has selflessly stepped up to support those in need and unable to work amid the coronavirus pandemic.

On Friday, Williamson, 19, announced his decision to pay the salaries of all of the women and men employed by the Smoothie King Center “for the next 30 days” after the NBA announced earlier this week that the season would be suspended.

“The people of New Orleans have been incredibly welcoming and supportive since I was drafted by the Pels last June, and some of the most special people I have met are those who work at Smoothie King Center,” Williamson wrote on Instagram of the indoor area where the Pelicans play.

“These are the folks who make our games possible, creating the perfect environment for our fans and everyone involved in the organization,” Williamson continued.

The athlete went on to explain that the workers are still recovering from hurricane Katrina “and now face the economic impact of the postponement of games because of the virus.”

“My mother has always set an example for me about being respectful for others and being grateful for what we have, and so today I am pledging to cover the salaries for all of those Smoothie King Center workers for the next 30 days,” Williamson wrote.

View this post on Instagram The people of New Orleans have been incredibly welcoming and supportive since I was Drafted by the Pels last June, and some of the most special people I have met are those who work at smoothie King Center. These are the folks who make our games possible, creating the perfect environment for our fans and everyone involved in the organization. Unfortunately, many of them are still recovering from long term challenges created by Katrina, and now face the economic impact of the postponement of games because of the virus. My mother has always set an example for me about being respectful for others and being grateful for what we have, and so today I am pledging to cover the salaries for all of those Smoothie King Center workers for the next 30 days. This is a small way for me to express my support and appreciation for these wonderful people who have been so great to me and my teammates and hopefully we can all join together to relieve some of the stress and hardship caused by this national health crisis. This is an incredibly resilient city full of some of the most resilient people, but sometimes providing a little extra assistance can make things a little easier for the community.

A post shared by Zion Williamson (@zionwilliamson) on Mar 13, 2020 at 2:24pm PDT

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Williamson shared that the gesture is “a small way for me to express my support and appreciation for these wonderful people who have been so great to me and my teammates and hopefully we can all join together to relieve some of the stress and hardship caused by this national health crisis.”

Williamson concluded the post by praising the city of New Orleans, writing, “This is an incredibly resilient city of full of some of the most resilient people, but sometimes providing a little extra assistance can make things a little easier for the community.”

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In response, the Pelicans released a statement, thanking Williamson for his generosity.

“The Pelicans say thank you and applaud Zion and his family for his generous giving today to the employees of ASM New Orleans and the Smoothie King Center during this very unfortunate and troubling time,” they wrote. “Earlier this morning, the Pelicans engaged with management at ASM New Orleans to determine what the team could do through ASM New Orleans to assist their employees. While it is a bit more complicated being that the Pelicans are simply the tenant of the building, the giving and helping this community in a time of nee by Mrs. Benson and her organization is unquestioned. When people need help, there is NEVER a question of who will be there.”

Statement from the New Orleans Pelicans: pic.twitter.com/BIE9IdGX97

— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) March 13, 2020

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Williamson joins a number of other athletes who have pledged to give back.

On Friday, Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo tweeted that he will be donating $100,000 to the staff of Fiserv Forum.

It’s bigger than basketball! And during this tough time I want to help the people that make my life, my family’s lives and my teammates lives easier. Me and my family pledge to donate $100,000 to the Fiserv Forum staff. We can get through this together!

— Giannis Antetokounmpo (@Giannis_An34) March 13, 2020

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“It’s bigger than basketball! And during this tough time I want to help the people that make my life, my family’s lives an my teammates lives easier. Me and my family pledge to donate $100,000 to the Fiserv Forum staff. We can get through this together!” Antetokounmpo, 25, wrote.

Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love is also donating $100,000 through his foundation to support the staff at the Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse, the Cleveland arena where his team plays.

“I’m concerned about the level of anxiety that everyone is feeling and that is why I’m committing $100,000 through the @KevinLoveFund in support of the @Cavs arena and support staff that had a sudden life shift due to the suspension of the NBA season,” Love wrote alongside a photo of himself taking a selfie with the arena workers. “I hope that during this time of crisis, others will join me in supporting our communities.”

On Friday, President Donald Trump declared a national emergency — “two very big words” — in response to the novel coronavirus pandemic.

View this post on Instagram Everyone reacts differently to stressful situations. And the fear and anxiety resulting from the recent outbreak of COVID-19 can be extremely overwhelming. Through the game of basketball, we've been able to address major issues and stand together as a progressive league that cares about the players, the fans, and the communities where we work. I'm concerned about the level of anxiety that everyone is feeling and that is why I'm committing $100,000 through the @KevinLoveFund in support of the @Cavs arena and support staff that had a sudden life shift due to the suspension of the NBA season. I hope that during this time of crisis, others will join me in supporting our communities. Pandemics are not just a medical phenomenon. They affect individuals and society on so many levels, with stigma and xenophobia being just two aspects of the impact of a pandemic outbreak. It's important to know that those with a mental illness may be vulnerable to the effects of widespread panic and threat. Be kind to one another. Be understanding of their fears, regardless if you don't feel the same. Be safe and make informed decisions during this time. And I encourage everyone to take care of themselves and to reach out to others in need — whether that means supporting your local charities that are canceling events, or checking in on your colleagues and family.

A post shared by Kevin Love (@kevinlove) on Mar 12, 2020 at 2:36pm PDT

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He said the declaration would unlock about $50 billion in funding to aid the local, state and federal response to the virus.

Trump also touted partnerships with various private corporations and laboratories to increase dramatically the scale of coronavirus testing nationwide, which has so far lagged demand and been plagued by problems. The president insisted this increase would begin in a matter of days.

As of Friday, there are now at least 1,663 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the U.S, PEOPLE previously reported.

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At this time, 41 people in the U.S. have died from coronavirus-related illness, mostly in Washington state.

The first cases of a mysterious respiratory illness — what is now known as COVID-2019, a form of coronavirus — began in Wuhan, China in late December. Since then, the virus has spread worldwide, leading the World Health Organization to declare a public health emergency, the first since the zika epidemic in 2016.

As information about the coronavirus pandemic rapidly changes, PEOPLE is committed to providing the most recent data in our coverage. Some of the information in this story may have changed after publication. For the latest on COVID-19, readers are encouraged to use online resources from CDC, WHO, and local public health departments and visit our coronavirus hub.