Raw but Ready: Zion Williamson's Power on Full Display at Summer League
The Zion show has finally arrived in the NBA.
The Thomas and Mack Center drew more attention than ever this season, much of it in anticipation of the Duke superstar. In fact, the tickets for the New Orleans Pelicans' game against the New York Knicks in Las Vegas Summer League started at an average purchase of $97.13, according to TickPick, which is 193 percent higher than the Pelicans' own regular-season home opener last season.
Zion didn't disappoint.
Ever the humble interview, he overwhelmed fans with his shy grin and monstrous athleticism, putting on a full display with a spectacular layup line slam.
It was a sign of things to come.
"I expect him [RJ Barrett] to hold nothing back, and he knows I'm gonna hold nothing back," Zion said on the ESPN broadcast in reference to playing against his former teammate. "We're both tryin' to get our team a win. ... I worked hard for this."
With LeBron James and Anthony Davis sitting courtside, Zion's nerves seemed to be in full effect. Like any NBA athlete, adjustments will be necessary and prudent for the 6'7", 285-pound wrecking ball. He forced shots early and failed to make the correct assessments on the defensive side of the floor, making things easy for forward Kevin Knox and center Mitchell Robinson.
In two specific first-quarter possessions, Zion settled for a contested three-point miss followed by a deep mid-range shot that fell short of the rim.
On ensuing possessions, Zion forced his way into the paint, using his explosive burst to penetrate, all while failing to protect the ball, a critical error when facing one of the league's best shot-blockers in Robinson. Zion went straight into the body of the 7'1" Knicks center, who used his length to swallow up any possibility of the conversion.
Two lobs would miss their targets as well, as it seemed the Pelicans players themselves wanted to see Zion's explosiveness on display.
But then, Zion did what Zion does best, using his athleticism to fly above the rim, where no one, not even Robinson, could stop him.
Pelicans summer-league head coach Fred Vinson worked to get him comfortable early, inserting him back into the first-quarter lineup with 4.9 seconds remaining. Vinson then used point guard London Perrantes on a perfectly executed give-and-go from the corner, leading to an easy slam just before the clock expired.
Still, Zion's existing defensive shortcomings were on display in repeated instances of failed recognition, like on this pick-and-roll, where he lost Robinson behind him in what should have been a switch.
Zion will learn to get comfortable on this end while playing alongside Jrue Holiday.
"I think I can do it with my personality," Jrue Holiday told Doris Burke on ESPN in reference to handling rookie-season expectations. "The chemistry I have with the guys on the team already. He is something we feel like we've never seen before—and that pressure, I look forward to taking that on for him. I hope I can show him some things and tell him some things that can help him in his career."
However, summer league is less heralded for its perfectly executed defensive principles than its jaw-dropping bouts of unrealized potential and budding star power—the kind Zion put on display as he quaked his way right through second-year player Knox.
Outside of Zion's noticeable talents, including his speed, exists his relentless motor that he used en route to his 11 points on 4-of-9 shooting.
"His best attribute is going to be how hard he plays," Julius Randle said on the ESPN telecast.
Williamson collided knees with Robinson in the second quarter and was removed from the remainder of the contest for precautionary reasons. Later, in the fourth frame, the Thomas and Mack Center shook after a 7.1 magnitude earthquake occurred roughly 10 miles northeast of Ridgecrest, California.
The NBA ultimately postponed the remainder of the contest, but Zion had enough time to flash both his inexperience and his once-in-a-lifetime level of athleticism.
While outside circumstances may have shortened the expected length of Zion's debut, Pelicans players and coaches should feel confident at their ever-improving chances at making a playoff push sooner rather than later.
As for the competition, Zion certainly displayed enough to put them on notice heading into the regular season.
