NBA: 30 reasons to be excited for 2019-20 season

3. Zion Williamson!

Plenty of ballers have been taken in the same draft slot, but few have ever matched the level of anticipation Zion Williamson has created for himself before stepping foot onto an NBA hardwood. He is the most anticipated rookie since LeBron James, a combination of size, speed and athleticism only seen in The King himself.

Taken by the New Orleans Pelicans, Williamson won’t have to shoulder too large a responsibility given the wealth of pieces around him. The lack of pressure placed on him by the organization will help Zion manage that coming from just about everywhere else, where many are quick to sit him on the throne of the NBA’s future.

His league-wide appeal is as real as it gets, resulting in 20 nationally televised games for New Orleans. Not only his Zion a poster jam waiting to happen, but his wide smile and humble personality make him a player even the cruelest of haters can get behind.

The NBA has been patiently awaiting the arrival of Zion ever since his high school highlights first flooded Twitter feeds around the world. He obliged on the required one year of college and was drafted No. 1 overall in June. After limited time in Summer League, it’s time for his hype train to reach its next stop at the highest level.