Zion Williamson: Lakers' LeBron James an 'Incredible Player' After Pelicans Loss

New Orleans Pelicans rookie Zion Williamson and Los Angeles Lakers veteran LeBron James met for the first time in NBA game action Tuesday, and the night belonged to King James.

LeBron scored a game-high 40 points in the Lakers' 118-109 win, which prompted Zion to pay him a compliment. According to ESPN's Baxter Holmes, Williamson said: "He's an incredible player. I mean, he handled business."

Zion was no pushover in defeat, as he finished with 29 points (second on the team to Brandon Ingram), six rebounds and three assists.

Lebron James + Zion Williamson Reel

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For the season, the 19-year-old star is averaging 23.3 points, 7.1 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 13 games, and he is showing why the Pels were right to make him the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 NBA draft.

After getting a firsthand look at Zion on Tuesday, LeBron paid him a compliment back, saying: "He's playing exceptional basketball. I think every game he's going to get better and better, just having that experience. I think today's game is a perfect fit for his game. The high pace, the way they play it fits his game. The speed, running up and down and playing at that speed, they move the ball."

With the win, the Lakers continued their dominance of the Western Conference this season, as they still hold the No. 1 seed at 44-12. The combination of James and Anthony Davis has worked wonders for a Lakers team that is on track for its first playoff berth since 2013.

James may not win MVP this season because of the play of Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, but he undoubtedly deserves significant consideration.

In addition to leading his team to the best record in the West, James is averaging 25.5 points, 7.7 rebounds and an NBA-leading 10.6 assists per game.

LeBron has always been a great distributor, but he has taken things to another level this season, and he is making everyone around him better.

Perhaps that is something Zion will be able to do moving forward, especially if he took notice of the performance LeBron delivered Tuesday.