New Orleans Pelicans: Best Case Scenario Comps for the Under-25’s

New Orleans Pelicans’ Player Comparisons: Zion Williamson

Zion Williamson is the first… Zion Williamson

The Zion comps have been done to death and none of them are accurate.

Some like to compare him to Charles Barkley because they both came into the league carrying a little extra weight, but Barkley didn’t averaged 23 points a game until he was 23, while Zion did it at age 19.

Barkley was also a much better rebounder and defender than Zion, though Zion could get there some day. It’s not hard to imagine Zion averaging double digit rebounds as early as next season.

Karl Malone is another comp I’ve heard, but nope. Malone didn’t average 23 a game until age 24, and like Barkley, was a better rebounder and defender than Zion is at this point. Zion is a lot shorter than Malone and way more athletic, so I don’t see it.

People love to call Zion the next LeBron, but that is just crazy, as Zion will never be the passer that LeBron is, though both are capable of using their superior strength to get to the rim.

The truth is that there hasn’t ever really been a guy who has the same skillset that Zion Williamson has, as he has the agility of a two-guard in the body of a power forward, can jump through the roof and has a soft shooting touch.

He’s like if Shawn Kemp’s athleticism was put in Barkley’s body with Malone’s post up game and Lebron’s physical strength.

Zion Williamson has a chance to be a mold breaker, a guy for who there is no comparison, but he has to stay healthy and that is far from a given.

The one thing all of these guys had in common is that they were Iron Men who rarely missed a game. Zion missed more games in his rookie season than Karl Malone missed in his 19-year career combined.

If Zion wants to be on the list with the All-Time greats, he has to get his body right, stay in shape and become a better defender.

If he does those things he’ll be a player that no one compares to.