Projecting the 20 most promising young duos in the NBA

3. Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram (New Orleans Pelicans)

A lot of this ranking depends on how much you believe in Zion Williamson’s potential.

If you, like a lot of people, think the No. 1 pick in the 2019 NBA Draft really is a next-LeBron, next-Barkley type of prospect, then the Pelicans could even rank No. 1 on this list. If Zion is that good, he could lead any halfway-decent group to title contention within a few years.

The 19-year-old power forward’s explosive athleticism is undeniable, and that’s the part of his game that will sell a ton of sneakers and jerseys. But don’t overlook the fact that Zion is a real-life basketball player who has a toolset of polished skills and intangibles.

In his freshman year at Duke, Zion averaged 22.6 points and 8.9 rebounds and made an incredible 68.0 percent of his field goals. (Which were not all dunks, contrary to what the highlight reels suggest.)

Brandon Ingram was once upon a time getting a lot of hype himself, being compared often to Kevin Durant when he came out of Duke a few years ago.

Entering his fourth pro season, the 22-year-old small forward hasn’t quite lived up to that standard, although he has been improving. He averaged 18.3 points per game for the Lakers last season, but he’s been injury-prone lately.

Ingram still has 20-points-per-game potential and could be a lethal scorer alongside Zion, All-Star point guard Jrue Holiday, sharpshooting veteran J.J. Redick and the rest of the New Orleans Pelicans‘ talented group.