New Orleans Pelicans: Breaking down Zion Williamson’s defense

Zion Williamson’s defense needs to improve if the New Orleans Pelicans want to take a step forward this season. 

In many ways, Zion Williamson’s rookie season was a microcosm of the struggles that the New Orleans Pelicans encountered during the 2019-20 NBA year. He was an explosive and efficient scorer, especially when New Orleans pushed the ball, but also an inconsistent and ultimately poor defender.

The New Orleans Pelicans ranked fifth in the league in points per game, a figure good enough to make the playoffs as evidenced by the four teams above them (Bucks, Rockets, Mavericks, and Clippers), but gave up a dismal 117.1 points per game.

Most teams in the playoffs did not allow their opponents to score over 110 points per game and those closest to the Pelicans—the Portland Trail Blazers and the Houston Rockets—were buoyed by an incredible late-season run by and an all-time great scorer.

The Pelicans had the offensive power to comfortably enter the postseason but were let down by their porous defense. It is harsh to pinpoint this on Williamson and that is not the objective of this article. Basketball is a team game and the Pelicans’ leaky defensive play last season was a combination of many things.

It is also important to contextualize Williamson’s play by affirming that yes, he was a rookie and most rookies struggle on defense when they make the jump to the NBA. He also did not play until January 22 and, until the end of the season, had a bit of a stop-and-go dynamic for a multitude of reasons.

Yet, Williamson was and is expected to be the franchise cornerstone of a playoff-making team. It would be harsh to blame him for anything, but it is fair to demand more. The number one pick’s defense was rightfully lambasted during the Pelicans’ woeful run in the NBA bubble, but Williamson’s defensive struggles were percolating far before that.

I took an in-depth look at Williamson’s defense in the 2019-20 season by using NBA.com’s box score tool and watching every play with him on the floor that the league considers to have ended in a shot, assist or offensive rebound for the New Orleans Pelicans’ opponent.

It’s also important to note that the clips provided by the NBA don’t merely show the action of the shot or assist, for instance, but also the preceding seconds as to situate what is happening in the possession.

Here are my takeaways on Williamson’s strengths, improvement areas, and where he might fit best on defense going forward.