Pelica Debrief
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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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MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA – APRIL 05: Zion Williamson of the Duke Blue Devils poses with Barry Bedlan, Deputy Director of AP Sports Products at The Associated Press, during a press conference after being awarded the AP Player of the Year award prior to the 2019 NCAA men’s Final Four at U.S. Bank Stadium on April 5, 2019 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Maxx Wolfson/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA – APRIL 05: Zion Williamson of the Duke Blue Devils poses with Barry Bedlan, Deputy Director of AP Sports Products at The Associated Press, during a press conference after being awarded the AP Player of the Year award prior to the 2019 NCAA men’s Final Four at U.S. Bank Stadium on April 5, 2019 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Maxx Wolfson/Getty Images) /

Zion Williamson, Starter in the All-Star Game

In his first year of NBA action, I kind of expect Zion Williamson to make the All-Star Game in some capacity. He’s just a rookie, but some of the things he can do on the court already boost him among the range of the league’s top-25 players.

Fans are going to be the difference-maker on this one.

While veterans have a tendency to pick older players for the team, as they have their say in the voting for All-Star Game reserves, fan voting will be a huge benefit to the 19-year-old phenom.

Zion is quickly becoming one of the most popular players in the game and by the time All-Star voting really gets going, he’ll have played a ton of games in front of a national audience.

The last time a rookie made the All-Star Game was Blake Griffin in 2011. Before him, it was Yao Ming in 2003, who was the last rookie to start in an All-Star Game.

Realistically, Williamson is going to be a huge part of All-Star Weekend as a whole as long as he’s healthy when those few days in February roll around.

For all we know, we might get a chance to see the slam master general himself in this year’s NBA Slam Dunk Contest. It’ll be on the same Chicago floor he scored 29 points on during his second preseason game in the NBA.

Having Williamson in the All-Star Game would be good for the league, as a young, talented rookie in a game usually reserved for the old guard.

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