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New Orleans Pelicans: What accolades will Zion achieve during his rookie year?

By Willie Lutz

ATLANTA, GA - OCTOBER 7: Zion Williamson #1 of the New Orleans Pelicans talks with media after the pre-season game against the Atlanta Hawks on October 7, 2019 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Layne Murdoch Jr./NBAE via Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA - OCTOBER 7: Zion Williamson #1 of the New Orleans Pelicans talks with media after the pre-season game against the Atlanta Hawks on October 7, 2019 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Layne Murdoch Jr./NBAE via Getty Images) /
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The rookie phenom continues to sign as the New Orleans Pelicans power through the preseason, which leaves the masses thinking about Zion’s upcoming season.

The New Orleans Pelicans are just two games into the preseason, but much like in his lone season at Duke, Zion Williamson is quickly dominating conversations about the upcoming league year.

Right now, if Zion Williamson were a hype factory, the United States would have to shut it down, because he would end up violating monopoly legislation. He’s signed huge endorsement deals, his jersey is everywhere, and you can’t watch an hour of ESPN without hearing his name.

His dimensions, at 6’6″, 285 LBS frame shouldn’t allow him to glide through the air and across the court so quickly, but questions about his bulk are easily answered when his athleticism is on display during on-court action.


In both preseason games, Williamson was top two in scoring, including a 29 point outburst against the Chicago Bulls, where he went 12-of-13 from the floor.

What’s so captivating about Zion is that it’s about more than the rim-rocking dunks and highlight tapes.

It’s his complete basketball arsenal, including clever passing, elite footwork, and a top-level basketball IQ that helps him evaluate every detail on both ends of the floor among the game’s elite players.

He sees the game far better than even the average top-pick, 19-year-old player; he’s just ready to be great right out of the gate.

Playing at Duke, he looked bigger, faster, and stronger than every player on the court. He averaged 22.6 points, 8.9 rebounds, 2.1 steals, and 1.8 blocks per game for the Blue Devils, shooting at a 68% field goal rate. Over his 33 game run at Duke, he became one of the greatest college players in that level’s history.

In college, the awards came quickly. Zion was All-NCAA First Team, All-NCAA Defensive First Team, and the Naismith College Basketball Player of the Year, in addition to about every other major award for which he was eligible to win.

Awards and accolades could come just as fast in the NBA.

We’ve seen just a limited sample size, but once again, Zion looks bigger, faster, and stronger than every player on the court, even at the highest level of basketball in the world. There’s potential for some incredibly special things to happen to this young player in year one of his hopefully long-lasting NBA career.

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