Zion Williamson, New Orleans Pelicans
No rookie has been surrounded by more hype than Zion Williamson since LeBron James entered the league in 2003, and although injuries cut his first season to only 24 games, it was easy to see why.
With averages of 22.5 points and 6.3 rebounds per game on 58 percent shooting, while playing on a minutes restriction, Williamson silenced all talk of him being a bust after many preached that his style of play would not translate to success in the pros. His transcendental combination of strength and speed makes him a walking mismatch. He’s far too quick for players bigger than him, and far too bulky for smaller guards.
There’s a bit more to his game than just his physical gifts, however, as he has displayed a crafty touch around the rim and a surprisingly nice ability to handle the ball. At times, he even showed flashes of a jump shot, and though he’s not a stellar defender, he has all the tools to be successful on that end as well. With a season that hopefully won’t be derailed by injuries (or the pandemic) coming up, the Pelicans look to unleash Williamson’s full capabilities on the rest of the league.
It is not unheard of for stellar rookies to make the jump into superstardom as soon as their second season rolls around, and Williamson has an extremely solid shot at becoming the next to accomplish it.