Last season, Zion Williamson had arguably the best season of his career with the New Orleans Pelicans. Even though he averaged his lowest scoring output since his rookie campaign, he strung together his most durable year, playing in a career-high 70 regular season games. That wasn't the only area in his game that he improved, though.
Playing alongside two other elite scorers in CJ McCollum and Brandon Ingram, Zion was able to take a step back as a primary offensive option and developed his playmaking skills for the betterment of the team. He hit a new peak with 5.0 assists per game while keeping his turnovers down at just 2.8.
He also showed some flashes of positive defensive impact. Per 36 minutes, he notched career-high averages in both blocks at 0.8 and steals at 1.3. Zion's been a dominant force in the NBA since he entered the league. He's also been on the radar of some basketball fans since he was a sophomore in high school.
Because he's been in the arena for so long, it's easy to forget that Zion is only about to enter his age-24 season in this upcoming campaign. There's plenty of room left for growth, and he showed he's still on a steep upward trajectory last year. Along with championship aspirations for the New Orleans Pelicans, he should have some lofty individual goals for himself in this upcoming season.
Zion Williamson's goals for the 2025-25 season with the New Orleans Pelicans
1. Hit 35 percent from three
Spacing is at a premium in the NBA. Unfortunately for the Pelicans, they're lacking in dangerous deep threats. Their stars, Zion, CJ, BI, and newly acquired Dejounte Murray, all do their best work in the midrange and attacking the cup. That's not to say that they can't shoot threes, but none of them would be best off relegated into spot-up snipers.
Of that group, Zion is by far the worst deep shooter, averaging a career 34 percent from beyond the arc. His limited range hasn't stopped him from dominating on offense, but it has limited the Pellies' capabilities. The most straightforward way for Zion to elevate his game and his team to another level is to improve his 3-point marksmanship.
2. Play 65 games
The biggest plague of Zion's career so far has easily been his lack of durability. Last season's 70 games was easily his greatest benchmark and was a genuine surprise to NBA fans. Now, Zion has to prove that his 2023-24 campaign wasn't a fluke but a sign of better things to come.
The NBA's new Collective Bargaining Agreement dictates that a player must appear in at least 65 regular season games in order to be eligible for all of the league's major awards. Clearing that requirement would go a long way towards building confidence that Zion can stay healthy moving forwards, as well as keep him eligible for an All-NBA selection and other honors.
3. Average 1+ block per game
It's becoming increasingly likely that the Pelicans will begin next season with a center rotation consisting of Daniel Theis, Yves Missi, and Karlo Matkovic. That's to say that their rim protection probably won't be feared, unless Missi turns out to be a defensive prodigy.
Coming into the NBA, Zion was expected to be one of the best weakside shot blockers and chase-down artists in the league. So far, his defense has been vastly disappointing when stacked up against his perceived potential. He's yet to eclipse more than 0.7 blocks per game in a single season.
The Pelicans will need him to step up on defense if they mean to make a serious postseason run, and their severe lack of reliable center play will only further necessitate him stepping up as a paint protector. We'll see if he can meet those needs.