No More Five Guys 🥦
The question now is whether he will become the expected franchise player…
People love to build up young talent as much as they love to tear them down. One of the classic examples is New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson. Revered for his dunking exploits in high school, basketball experts and critics turned on him for a soft physique and failure to become the next LeBron James.
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Slim and bearded Zion will be trouble for the league!
MVP Season Loading? 🔜 pic.twitter.com/tiedoUhOLm
— BetUS NBA (@BetUS_NBA) August 19, 2024
The idea that every phenom is going to be LeBron is foolhardy. He is a once-in-a-generation player. That doesn’t make expectations less for a player like Zion Williamson. However, he seems to finally understand that physicality and physique in the NBA are imperative.
Check Out the Transformation
Then: He is listed at 6-foot-6 and 284 pounds.
Zion Williamson step-dad told C.Ruff today at his camp he’s currently 281 pounds (285 at Duke) and will be 272 by the time the season starts 💪🏾
Lets go Z. Great season loading 💯 pic.twitter.com/iaYKyw8B2W
— TimeoutSPORTS__ (@TimeoutSPORTS3) August 18, 2024
Now: It will be intriguing to see where he tips the scale when he reports for camp for the 2024-25 season.
According to Zion’s Stepfather Lee Anderson, Zion plans to enter the season at 272 pounds (currently 281 pounds).
He was 284 pounds at Duke. https://t.co/KWfsDhuUeY
— Ingram Alerts (@IngramAlerts) August 18, 2024
Will Williamson Stay Healthy?
Fitness has been a major question in Williamson’s NBA career. The No. 1 overall pick in 2019 was expected to change the fortunes of the team in the Big Easy.
Unfortunately, Williamson has spent more time off the court than on it. In five seasons since being drafted he has played 184 games. That equates to two-plus seasons. He missed the entire 2021-22 season due to a foot injury.
In a basketball-to-basketball player comparison, at the age of 24, James had played nearly 400 games. At the same age, Williamson has not played half that many games.
He is coming off a season that saw him play 70 games, a career-high. That wasn’t enough to get the deep run into the playoffs but it did translate into a 49-win season. Improvement.
Zion Williamson’s best plays of his NBA career so far 🍿 pic.twitter.com/t1BMAcp3Ew
— House of Highlights (@HoHighlights) August 14, 2024
The question now is whether he will become the expected franchise player for a once-No. 1 overall pick or whether he will wind up as a player with promise that never delivered a championship.
One of the unfair critiques is Williamson has not delivered. He is averaging almost 25 points per game, six rebounds, and four assists per game in the NBA. That shows you how high the bar is for a player who has been hyped since high school.
Zion Williamson to Anthony Edwards:
“You can turn a hoe into a house wife. Always remember that.”
— NBACentel (@TheNBACentel) December 18, 2023
Another Instance of Getting It Done
Every form of understanding doesn’t come from playing on the court. Williamson showed the importance of his role this weekend in his hometown of Spartanburg, South Carolina, He was playing host to a youth basketball camp.
There were those who wanted to charge the campers a three-figure number to take part. Williamson made a brilliant call: No charge for anyone. A youth camp is a great way to set an example. Kudos.
Zion hosted a free basketball camp in his hometown of Spartanburg, S.C. on Saturday 👏 pic.twitter.com/NYjCIKaVNj
— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) August 18, 2024
If Williamson finally is getting what it takes to be an NBA mega-star, good on him. It is one thing to put in the work off the court. It is another to make it happen over a full NBA season.
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