Zion Williamson Joins Michael Jordan With a Sensational Rookie Record

The New Orleans Pelicans lost their final game of the season against the Orlando Magic on Thursday. That brought an end to the not-so-fairytale season for Zion Williamson. The 2020 number one overall pick was just limited to 24 games due to injury. Although he didn’t have team success, he had an amazing individual season.

During the season, he broke multiple records. He became the first teenager in NBA history to score 20+ points in 10 straight games. He also had the most points on debut by a Pelicans’ rookie. These are just a few. And now he joins Michael Jordan to average the second-highest points per game (since 1983) in the first 24 games in the league.

In the 24 games he played, Zion finished the 2019-20 season averaging 22.5 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 2.1 assists. While he shot an impressive 58% from the field, his 64% free throw shooting percentage is one of the few bad remarks from the season.

Zion Williamson: Bright future ahead?

Zion entered the league as one of the most hyped rookies in NBA history. Although he has had little chance to live up to it, whenever he has played, he has looked bright. The Pelicans have been lackluster, but Zion isn’t the one to blame.

His presence doesn’t guarantee a win, but they look more dangerous when he is playing. When the Pelicans were advised by the medical team to restrict his minutes, former NBA champions Paul Pierce and Kendrick Perkins urged them to let him loose.

After playing just 15 minutes in his first two games, he averaged a measly 10 points. But when he was allowed to have a free reign and play over 20 minutes in the next three games, he ended up averaging 24 points.

With his weight being talked about as an issue, Zion has handled the conversation maturely. “Everyone is entitled to their own opinion,” he said. “But I’m going to stick to the opinions of the people closest to me and my team and just go from there. I’ll talk to my coaches and see what I need to do better from their point of view. Just work on every part of my game and work on getting my body where it needs to be.”

It will be a waste to a player like Zion being unable to make the most out of his talent because of weight or injury issues. Basketball fans will be hoping he returns stronger next season.