New Orleans Pelicans rookie Zion Williamson is 10 games into his NBA career. Here are three observations with things he can improve moving forward.
Zion Williamson is the NBA’s most anticipated star since LeBron James, and while his debut was delayed due too a knee injury, he’s been nothing short of exceptional.
The New Orleans Pelicans are 5-5 since Williamson joined the lineup, and he’s wasted zero time impacting the game. He’s on a Rookie of the Year pace, if not for Ja Morant having a great season and on pace to play more games.
The rookie is averaging 22.1 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game. His shooting slash is .576/.364/.654, granted he’s only attempted 11 3s, which is something we’ll dive into later.
Williamson, 19, is built unlike any player. He’s 6’6″, 285 lbs and is still one of the most athletic players in basketball, which leads to the first observation.
1. Zion’s athleticism is different
It’s clear that the knee surgery Williamson underwent, which held him out 44 games before his highly-anticipated debut, didn’t impact his explosiveness. He has an instinctive twitch that allows him to explode for second-chance opportunities. He’ll land after shooting and quickly power towards an offensive rebound.
Impressively, 35 of his 75 rebounds this season are on the offensive end. Two-thirds of those offensive rebounds have been contested. His rare combination of strength and athleticism allows him to win more of those battles than he loses.
Williamson is known for his high-flying dunks and impressive shot-blocking skills. His record-setting 45-inch vertical in his freshman season at Duke was on full display in his only season as a Blue Devil. It’s translating to the NBA has led to 20 dunks.
The thing to watch moving forward is how Williamson maintains the stamina required to impact the NBA every night. He has never endured the grind of an NBA season. The Pelicans have 27 games left, including four back-to-backs. New Orleans is going to need Williamson to close the 5.5 game gap from the Memphis Grizzlies to secure a playoff spot, and the Portland Trail Blazers are standing in the way.
In the era of load management, the Pelicans may protect their budding star from future injuries in an effort to make a full run next season, but he’s playing well and they have the easiest remaining schedule compared to the Grizzlies’ most difficult. There’s a realistic shot at closing the gap.