After missing all last season with a foot injury, we are weeks away from seeing Zion Williamson finally return to the New Orleans Pelicans.
The former #1 pick is set to join a Pelicans roster coming off their first playoff appearance since 2018.
While expectations for Zion Williamson are already high, here are three bold predictions for his upcoming 2022-23 campaign.
New Orleans Pelicans: 3 bold predictions for Zion Williamson next season
#1: Zion contends for MVP
When Zion Williamson is on the court, few can stop him.
In the 2020-21 season, Zion averaged 27 points, 3.7 assists, and 7.2 rebounds a night. Although those are not yet MVP-caliber numbers, they are close.
A major component of winning MVP is team success. In Zion’s tenure in New Orleans, the team has never finished as a top eight team in the Western Conference.
However, after the changes made last season, it looks like the Pelicans are going to be a force in the West. If Zion Williamson can help the Pels pick up right where they left off, New Orleans could finish as one of the top teams in the conference.
If the Pelicans can finish among the league’s best and Zion Williamson continues to post great stats, MVP is a real possibility.
#2: Zion leads the team in assists
This one may come off as a shock, and rightfully so. Zion Williamson has a career average of 3.2 assists a game. How could he possibly lead the team in this stat?
Before a fractured finger kept him out for the rest of the 2021 season, Zion received many opportunities to bring the ball up for New Orleans. This led to an increase in assists for Zion.
In 24 games that year, Zion finished with five or more assists, including multiple games where he matched his career-high (8). In those 24 games, the Pelicans won, going 16-8.
Willie Green may take a similar approach to Van Gundy, meaning we could see a lot more of “Point Zion.”
He also has better scorers around him, so when teams double, Zion will make them pay.
#3: Zion Williamson stays healthy next season
Yes, this is a bold take.
Injuries have been a major issue for Williamson since he entered the league in 2019. This was especially evident when the former Duke product missed the entirety of last season.
However, there seems to be a lot of optimism for Zion this season. The recent news about a personal chef show he’s committed to staying healthy.
Injuries happen at random, but recently it seems Zion has begun to make it a priority to be on the court this season.