Injury Prone Zion Williamson Makes 1st Time Eligibility For All-NBA Honors

The highly touted Duke prospect, Zion Williamson, does not have the best record when it comes to the NBA. A heavily injury-prone player, the 23-year-old power forward had never gone past 61 games. And then there’s his weight. It is almost always a subject of ridicule. But the fact of the matter is that Williamson is a remarkable player. For someone of his size to have the speed and athleticism that he displays is extremely rare. And the New Orleans Pelicans know that.

But now, he has another factor to throw in the face of all the naysayers. NBA insider Bobby Marks tweeted the good news. “Zion Williamson has reached the 65-game criteria. He is now eligible for postseason honors. This is the most games Williamson has played in his career.” Yup, the 65-game rule that the league introduced before the season has been a pain point for many players. And Williamson was on the list of players sure to miss the postseason honors. However, this season, the 6’6, 284-pound North Carolina native is determined to show why he was the best coming out of college and deserves the All-NBA honors.

He is 21st in the league in points scored (22.8), 11th in field goal percentage (58.1%) as well as sixth in free throws attempted (7.1) this season. Only 12 players have averaged 20 points, five rebounds, and assists since New Orleans’ win over the Rockets on Jan. 31st. And Zion Williamson is among them. Other names include the likes of Luka Doncic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokic, Jayson Tatum, De’Aaron Fox, Dejounte Murray, and more.

A quick look at the NBA 65-game rule

The rule is pretty straightforward. The NBA players have to play a minimum of 65 games or 85% of total games to be eligible for All-NBA honors. But of the 65, 63 games must be at least 20 minutes while the other two have to be between 15 and 20 minutes. Primarily introduced to engage player participation, it has come under much scrutiny on account of players risking injuries to be eligible for postseason honors.

The fact that in any one of the two games, a player plays only 14 minutes and exits, even due to an injury, and automatically becomes ineligible hasn’t helped its popularity, either. The awards that are affected by this rule include the DPOY, MVP, Most Improved Player, All-NBA team, and more. The loss of money is probably another factor for it being so unpopular with players.

But anyway, it has certainly increased the stakes and made the league more exciting. Especially given how chaotic this season has been. Hopefully, Zion Williamson continues his onward trajectory as the seventh-seeded Pelicans snap their three-game skid against the Spurs on Friday.

Read More: “It’s How You Carry Yourself:” Zion Williamson Gets Shunned in Favour of “Best” Version of Luka Doncic