2024-08-19 11:50:03
Zion Williamson is entering a pivotal 2024-25 season for both himself and the New Orleans Peicans.
Since being drafted with the No. 1 overall pick back in the 2019 NBA Draft, Williamson has gone through some very difficult years. Injuries have completely derailed the start of his career.
Throughout his first four seasons, Williamson has played in 24, 61, 29, and 70 games respectively. While he played in 70 games last year, he got hurt in the team’s play-in game and couldn’t return for the playoffs.
Looking ahead to the upcoming campaign, the Pelicans need Williamson to stay healthy and play to his full potential. If he can do that, they have a chance to be a serious contender in the Western Conference.
Williamson hosted a camp and was pictured looking much leaner than he has been in years past. His weight loss was noticed in the pictures.
Zion Williamson looks like he lost a lot of weight this off season 🔥 pic.twitter.com/mcdXHDwQbd
— My Mixtapez (@mymixtapez) August 18, 2024
Granted, they are just pictures, but they provide major optimism for the team and fans.
Williamson played last season at a reported 284 pounds. Getting that weight down would give his body a better chance to stay healthy.
During the 2023-24 NBA season, Williamson averaged 22.9 points per game to go along with 5.8 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 1.1 steals. He shot 57 percent from the floor.
Those numbers show a very small bit of his potential. Williamson has the talent to be one of the top superstars in the NBA if he stays on the court.
New Orleans went out and got aggressive this offseason. They acquired star guard Dejounte Murray in a major trade. With Murray on the roster, the team looks to be a serious threat in the West.
At this point in time, they are set to have a ton of star power. Murray, C.J. McCollum, Brandon Ingram, and Williamson will be a lethal four-headed monster.
However, the Pelicans are only going to go as far as Williamson can take them. He is still the face of the franchise and the only player on the roster capable of powering a team to a championship.
Hopefully, he’s in the best shape of his career and can finally begin showcasing the generational talent that New Orleans thought it was getting when he was drafted.
