Coming off their 5th straight win, the New Orleans Pelicans emerged victorious over the sluggish Detroit Pistons. An energized Zion Williamson had the home crowd on its feet, bullying his way through the paint as the opposition resorted to all types of physical plays.
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Zion Williamson getting hugged and still finishing the bucket
TOO STRONG‼️ pic.twitter.com/nxyE3e3p2q
— Blue Devils (@BlueDevils) December 8, 2022
Williamson notched a game-high 29-point double-double, shooting an efficient 11-for-16 from the field. The Pelicans forward has been on a tear off-late, stepping up amid the absence of Brandon Ingram, who has been out for the last 5-games due to a foot injury.
Why is it that you hear more about Zion Williamson on a national level when he’s hurt than when he’s producing?
Over the Pelicans’ last 5 games, he’s averaging:
26.4 ppg
9.8 rpg
5.2 apgWith an average of playing 32.6 minutes per game
— Jesse Brooks (@jessecbrooks) December 3, 2022
Currently, the no.1 seed in the west, the Pelicans are looking like a strong playoff contender, especially with players like Jose Alvarado and Trey Murphy III bursting onto the scene, along with formidable players like CJ McCollum and Jonas Valanciunas.
Nonetheless, Williamson remains the deciding factor for the New Orleans franchise. The most recent example of this being the former Duke sensation joining the likes of Shaquille O’Neal and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
Zion Williamson joins Shaquille O’Neal and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in an exclusive club.
Though he isn’t a 7-footer like Shaq or Kareem, Williamson is a freak of nature, standing at 6ft 6″ and weighing 284 lbs. An unstoppable force in the paint, the 22-year-old is bringing the bully ball culture back into the league, which is otherwise obsessed with 3-point shooting.
In his 3-seasons so far, Williamson has averaged 25.4 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 3.4 assists, shooting a highly efficient 60.3% from the field, by doing so, he has joined the ranks of Lakers legends Shaq and Kareem.
Players to average a career 20 PPG and 55 FG%:
— Kareem
— Shaq
— Zion pic.twitter.com/KY2meu0rwh— StatMuse (@statmuse) December 8, 2022
An impressive milestone for the Pelicans forward, whose’s efforts in the gym this past summer seem to be bearing fruit.
Durability continues to be a concern for Zion Williamson.
The 1st pick in the 2019 draft, Williamson, was selected by the Pelicans, playing a mere 26 games in his rookie season, rehabbing from a torn right lateral meniscus. Nonetheless, the former ACC Athlete of the Year would put the league on notice in his sophomore year.
Selected to play the All-Star game in 2021, Williamson was present in 61 out of the 72 games in the shortened 2021-22 season. Unfortunately, the worst was yet to come as the Pelicans forward would fracture his foot, leading to him sitting out the entire 2021-22 season.
What followed was constant scrutiny and criticism as a visibly overweight Williamson sat on the bench. Nevertheless, the 6ft 6″ forward would silence all his naysayers, returning in great shape once the current season kicked off.
