New Orleans Pelicans: Zion Williamson can learn from past greats

LeBron James, Dwight Howard, Charles Barkley? Zion Williamson can take the New Orleans Pelicans to the next level by studying these past greats.

Though he’s only appeared in 24 official NBA games, Zion Williamson is already a household name across the country. He battled for the Rookie of the Year Award and is destined for years of dominance with the New Orleans Pelicans. But, Zion will have to learn from former NBA greats to live up to his sky-high expectations.

What makes Zion so fascinating is his uniqueness. We really haven’t seen a player enter the NBA with this type of build. A 6’6″ forward weighing over 280 pounds with absurd leaping ability and acceleration in the open court – Williamson’s athleticism and size can truly only be compared to that of LeBron James.

The comparisons to James were inevitable. From the moment he burst onto the scene as a human highlight reel in high school, to the massive fanbase he accumulated before even reaching the NBA, Williamson was always going to be mentioned with the likes of James entering his professional career.

However, James and Williamson have more in common than freakish physical gifts and being the center of public attention from young ages. Williamson displays much of the versatility that has made James such an unstoppable force throughout his career. Whether it be rebounding, passing or using his athletic prowess to reject shots from behind – Williamson shows shades of LeBron in every facet of his game. While comparing Williamson to James may seem like a stretch, take a look at both of their averages through their first 24 NBA games:

James: 18.1 points, 6.3 rebounds, 6.2 assists (41/29/75 Shooting)

Williamson: 22.5 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists (58/43/64 Shooting)

Aside from passing, Williamson is on par or better than James in just about every category. Of course, James holds a significant advantage in playmaking and defending but it’s hard to diminish what Williamson has done so far in his young career.

Still, the comparison to James seems a bit unfair. It will be nearly impossible for Williamson to live up to those expectations, just as James could never live up to the status of Michael Jordan in the eyes of many. Williamson will have to build his own legacy – but that doesn’t mean he can’t learn from James.

If there’s one thing Zion needs to take away from James, it’s his understanding of the game. Even as James enters his mid-30s, he is able to dominate the game with his basketball genius. His knowledge of everything on the court has helped James prolong his career and outshine the athletes who came before him.

With this being said, Williamson will have to look at more than just James in order to craft his game. In particular, Dwight Howard is a player Williamson should be studying extensively this season.

Howard’s legacy has taken a hit in recent years but there’s no denying the three-time Defensive Player of the Year was a force in his prime. Playing under incoming New Orleans Pelicans head coach Stan Van Gundy, Howard learned how to lock down the paint on both ends of the floor using his size and athleticism. As a result, the Orlando Magic had their most successful three-year run as a franchise and pushed their way into the NBA Finals in 2009.

Now being coached by Van Gundy himself, Williamson will have to replicate Howard’s success. Only, he will have to do it in the modern-day version of defense. Gone are the days of pure rim protection. Today, NBA players need to defend multiple positions and be capable of switching everything.

Williamson has all of the tools needed to be an elite defender on the perimeter and in the paint. He can be the most versatile defender in the league if he embraces his destiny of being a Draymond Green on steroids. By focusing first on defense, just as Howard did, Williamson can take the Pelicans to the next level.

As for his offense, it’s unlikely Williamson ever becomes the passer that James is. Instead, he should focus on Hall of Famers like Chris Webber and Charles Barkley – two bigger forwards that took on secondary playmaking roles in the past. Williamson can maximize his potential by becoming a better ball handler in transition and a willing passer like Barkley and Webber.

Both Barkley and Webber had seasons where they averaged at least 5 assists per game. To no surprise, those seasons also happened to be their most successful from an individual and team standpoint. That is because combining your talent as a scorer with the threat to be a passer is the easiest way to expand your game.

Thankfully, this is something Williamson is already embracing. Though he only averaged 2.1 assists as a rookie, he has shown to be a selfless passer and team player. Watching how Barkley and Webber used their post-up presence to find open teammates will take Williamson to the next level as a playmaker.

Williamson has the total package. Putting it together will be the tough part. Yet, if he is able to mix his athleticism with quality playmaking and game-changing defense – Williamson will go down as a legend of his own with the New Orleans Pelicans.