New Orleans Pelicans fans – and fans of basketball the world over – had to be patient this season. When Zion Williamson was drafted 1st overall by the Pels in the 2018 Draft, and the former Blue Devil literally leaped off the scream with some jaw-dropping dunks in Summer League, the NBA community was understandably losing their mind over his potential.
There hadn’t been this much hype and excitement about a rookie since LeBron James – he already has a shoe deal with Jordan! But then, disaster struck, as news broke that Williamson would be sidelined for two to three months with a knee injury before he even suited up for his first regular-season game.
Thankfully, Williamson was able to return to the fold before the coronavirus forced the suspension of the NBA season. So, with some additional time on our hands, we wanted to look at some of the rookie’s most impressive statistical numbers.
45
Williamson’s vertical leap
Zion’s athleticism is a key component of his game, and turned him into a viral sensation when he was still in high school as video upon video of his jaw-dropping dunks hit the web.
When Williamson got to Duke, the Blue Devils conducted their seasonal vertical leap tests, and the freshman jumped off the page – literally. Williamson set a new Duke record with a 45-inch leap (a record that his since been broken by Cassius Stanley, who hit 46.5), which, when you combine with his 6’8” frame, goes a long way to explaining how Williamson seems to defy gravity whenever he gets airborne.
6’7’’ / 285 / 6’10”
Williamson’s height, weight and wingspan
Williamson’s wingspan – nor his height, for that matter – doesn’t leap off the page for the position(s) he’ll likely be playing (the 4 and 5), but that won’t matter since his 45 inch vertical will ensure he can block shots and catch alley-oops with ease.
His weight entering the league was, shall we say, a ‘hefty’ 285lbs, and was the point of contention and ridicule among many NBA analysts (many of whom could do with shedding a few pounds themselves). However, following his injury and subsequent rehab, the Pelicans’ training staff have been keeping a close eye on Zion whilst putting him through his paces, so don’t be surprised to see a slimmer – yet still with a manchild body – Williamson on the court soon.
20+
In Williamson’s debut with the Pelicans this season, he dropped 22 points on 8 of 11 shooting from the field (including four threes). In fact, in his first 10 career games, he had seven 20-point (or more) performances. In the last 30 seasons, only Grant Hill and Shaquille O’Neal were able to match such a feat.
Williamson would then embark on a ridiculous streak of 13 games with 20 or more points, setting a record in the process for the most consecutive games with 20+ points by a teenager (the previous record was nine, set by Carmelo Anthony in the 2003-04 season).
