Zion Williamson Believes He Could Have Made It to NFL as TE or WR

New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson said Tuesday he's confident he could have reached the NFL if he chose football over basketball.

"Yeah, I believe I could," Williamson told former NFL tight end Shannon Sharpe with a laugh on the Club Shay Shay podcast. "I'm just a competitor."

Sharpe then asked the 2020-21 NBA All-Star what position he would have played in the NFL.

"I think I would either do tight end or receiver. One of those two," Williamson said.

Williamson, who played quarterback in youth football before shifting his focus to basketball, certainly possesses an NFL frame at 6'7", 284 pounds.

While that's tight end size, the 20-year-old Duke product has showcased a unique combination of power and athleticism that could have allowed him to operate as an outside receiver at that height and weight, which would have represented a matchup nightmare for opposing defenses.

At minimum, he could have been a red-zone weapon as somebody with the strength and leaping ability to make contested catches.

The Pelicans are happy Williamson chose the basketball route, as he's become the central figure in their building process, which has yielded a promising core with Williamson joined by Brandon Ingram and Lonzo Ball, who are 23.

The Pelicans will be back in action Tuesday night when they host the Brooklyn Nets while looking to chase down a playoff berth in the loaded Western Conference.