At just 22 years old, Pelicans star Zion Williamson still has a lot to prove in the NBA. Meanwhile, for the Pelicans, they have yet to make any noise in the West despite all their talent, and many experts are convinced this team just isn’t built to win long-term.
Still, Zion is flashing enough of his talent to keep most of the doubters at bay. Because this season, Williamson has really stepped up his game. While he’s only averaging 23.5 points, his defensive effort has drastically improved, and it should be a welcome sight for Pelicans fans.
Speaking on SiriusXM NBA Radio, ESPN analyst (and former Bulls point guard) Jay Williams explained why the young superstar actually reminds him of the great Michael Jordan.
“There is a jumpman-like gracefulness to how he does it,” Williams said on the Pelicans star. “The style, the haircut, the hoop earring, he has a lot of the MJ-like feel when he’s able to pierce through the particles of the air and find different ways of finishing around the rim. It’s special. I just wanna see him sustain health. That’s all you wish for Zion. There’s no doubt about him being a Hall of Fame player, there’s no doubt this Pelicans organization is in the right hands, and they have the right pieces. But they’re right there to have a chance to get to the Western Conference Finals.”
🏀 Hear why Zion reminds @RealJayWilliams of Michael Jordan 👀 #Pelicans@RickKamlaSports | @adaniels33 pic.twitter.com/mGdWbUzELH
— SiriusXM NBA Radio (@SiriusXMNBA) December 4, 2022
Williamson Modeled His Game After Several NBA Legends
If Williamson’s game shares striking similarities to MJ’s, it might be because he studied him growing up as a young athlete. Apparently, his mom made him study Jordan, among other basketball greats, to help develop his game.
NBA stars have always been idolized by those that wanted to follow in their footsteps, and Williamson is no different. But while Zion is quite young and grew up watching the likes of LeBron James, who he gets compared to, and Kobe Bryant, his family, ensured that he was also watching the greats of the past. Zion Williamson’s mother wanted him to learn from the greatest to ever do it, and as such, she made sure he watched the GOATs play.
“My mom put me on Magic, Bird because of their playmaking abilities… watched Michael Jordan, you know he’s a phenomenal scorer. When he had to play point guard, he averaged a triple-double.”
Whatever Williamson was doing as a child, it worked. Today, he is easily one of the NBA’s top 10 best players, and this season is his finest yet.
While comparisons to MJ are premature right now, it might not be long before Zion starts creeping his way up the NBA totem pole.
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