Final season, Zion Williamson performed in 70 video games, averaging 22.9 factors, 5.8 rebounds, and 5 assists per sport whereas taking pictures 57 p.c from the sphere. But he did not make the All-Star staff, wasn’t significantly shut to creating an All-NBA staff, and within the play-in, he tore his hamstring throughout a 40-point efficiency in opposition to the Lakers and could not be there for his staff for the remainder of the postseason. Maybe essentially the most telling second of final season was the NBA’s first-round playoff finals, the place LeBron James and Anthony Davis stepped up their sport and the Lakers crushed the Pelicans.
Williamson instructed William Guillory of The Athletic“This shit cannot occur anymore,” and he devoted himself to working arduous and being talked about within the new season with the sport’s elite.
“I’m searching for revenge,” Williamson mentioned. “Not in opposition to any specific particular person. Only for myself.”
Zion mentioned it began when the Lakers ran the Pelicans off the courtroom in Las Vegas.
“(The match loss) was one of many turning factors of the season, and actually, for me as a person in my profession,” Williamson mentioned. “I have a look at (LeBron James) on the market on the courtroom, doing what he does. I feel I wish to be a prime participant, one of many biggest. In that large second, I didn’t present up. It hit me in the course of the sport. I simply appeared up and thought, ‘I didn’t present up.’ I’ve no excuses.”
In case your response to all that is “we’ve seen this film earlier than,” you’re not flawed — Zion has talked a few change in his mindset, his food plan, his relationship together with his teammates, and extra over the course of a number of seasons. This report means that what’s totally different this time round is that he’s working extra carefully with the Pelicans (which definitely wasn’t at all times the case), and each his teammates and the Pelicans say that’s totally different.
We have moved previous the speak stage and into the “present” stage with Zion. Actions, not phrases. It is his flip.
The Pelicans have numerous expertise on their roster — they added Dejonte Murray however nonetheless haven’t got a middle — and will find yourself within the prime six of the Western Convention or out of the playoffs solely. In a deep convention the place little will separate the groups, Zion being elite would make the Pelicans a possible Finals contender. He has that potential.
He simply must see it in methods aside from flashes. And he wants to remain wholesome.
