The Zion Williamson hype will return next season for the New Orleans Pelicans.
In 2018, Zion Williamson committed to Duke. Some people weren’t sure who he was or whether he could live up to his high school hype, but all questions disappeared once he stepped onto the court.
Zion drew eyes from around the globe. His college games were electric. Williamson was must-see TV the minute he stepped onto the floor. We haven’t seen someone so large and explosive like him in a long time, if ever. Williamson was so explosive that he broke out of his shoe mid-game against UNC, which dropped Nike’s market value dramatically and forced them to adjust to more powerful players.
Zion entered the 2019 NBA Draft and was the unanimous No. 1 overall pick. The New Orleans Pelicans were lucky enough to win the lottery and selected Zion Williamson first overall, without hesitation. The Pelicans faced the San Antonio Spurs for Williamson’s debut, which turned out to be the most viewed game that season next to the Lakers on Christmas Day.
Williamson blew people’s minds that game, scoring 17 points straight in the fourth quarter while fans yelled MVP chants. The hype for Williamson was out of control, similar to when we saw LeBron James enter the NBA, and it was very deserving. Unfortunately, because of a tear in his meniscus and health and safety protocols, Williamson only played 24 games in his rookie season. Still, if he had stayed healthy, he would have beat number two overall selection, Ja Morant, for the award.
In Zion Williamson’s second season, he emerged as a man on a mission. Williamson played 64 games, averaging 27 points, seven rebounds, and four assists per game, and was named an All-Star in his second year. He was already one of the best players in the league, but it is apparent that he does struggle with injuries, as we all know. He tore his meniscus in 2019, had a toe injury, sprained thumb, fractured finger, and a foot fracture in all of 2021, forcing him to miss the entire 2021-2022 season.
People seem to have forgotten about Zion Williamson and shifted their focus to Ja Morant and other rising stars such as Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball. But let me tell you to get onto the Zion Williamson hype train now because it will be full-blown next season.
Zion is clear to return to regular basketball. With Williamson back, get your popcorn out because the Pelicans will have an incredible season and even make it into the playoffs. The addition of CJ McCollum was a very underrated move by the Pels. McCollum provides authentic leadership and scoring that the Pels needed severely. He has gone against the best and knows what it takes to succeed in this league.
The leadership of Brandon Ingram, CJ McCollum, and the Jonas Valanciunas is fantastic, as we saw last season, but when Williamson returns, this team will be box office.
People now disrespect Zion Williamson. Some have gone so far as to make him into a meme, while others continue to insult him about his weight and anything else they can say that will be noticed. Williamson has always been a quiet, family man who does not care about the spotlight and the media. Fans these days don’t appreciate the silent workers. Instead, they go after him, saying he’s hiding and say he doesn’t care about basketball, but that is furthest from the truth.
When you watch Williamson, you see a Larry Johnson, Charles Barkley hybrid who is even more athletic than Johnson and much stronger than Barkley. Williamson will return and be a guarantee All-Star next season and potentially all NBA. His stock is sky-high and soars to lengths we have not seen in a long time.
People, do not sleep on Williamson next season. I predict an average of 30 points per game, eight rebounds, and four assists while leading his team into the playoffs. Get on the bandwagon now before it leaves the terminal.