Zion Williamson’s stunning athleticism and out-of-the-world dunks sent the internet into a tizzy, but there was one more clip that may not have showcased his precocious talent but still went viral.
The New Orleans Pelicans star and Spartanburg Day School were up against archrivals Christian Academy, and one of their players, Bryson Bishop, tried to raise the team’s spirits by clapping in Williamson’s face and taking on the responsibility of guarding the player, stumping the future No.1 draft pick who had quite the look on his face.
Zion Williamson was an internet sensation long before he made it to the NBA. Famous for his jaw-dropping athleticism and thunderous dunks, there was one clip in particular back when he was in high school that did not include any of that, yet ended up going viral. What followed was Williamson trying to score and was immediately fouled.
In a heartwarming show, the two rivals met before the Pelicans’ preseason clash against Atlanta Hawks and recreated the still from the clip that garnered all the eyeballs, and Williamson had the same incredulous look again.
Per ClutchPoints, the careers of the two players took different paths. While Williamson shoulders the load of taking the Pelicans to a championship, Bishop made a name for himself by leading Spartanburg Christian to consecutive state titles and is now a freshman PG for Division 3.
Can Zion Williamson And The New Orleans Pelicans Go The Distance?
The Pelicans and Williamson had a good preseason, as the team won four of their five practice games. The only loss came against the Miami Heat.
Williamson sat out of the clash against the Hawks but had a decent outing against the Chicago Bulls with 13 points. He put up 13 against the Detroit Pistons and followed it up with eight points against the San Antonio Spurs and 11 against the Heat.
Much of the concern for Williamson and the team will be his health over the course of the new season. He missed all of last season, averaging 27.0 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 3.7 assists in 61 games in 2020-21. The faith from the Pelicans front office, though, remained unwavering as they offered him a max contract worth $193 million guaranteed.
Now, he takes the hardwood alongside Brandon Ingram and veteran CJ McCollum as the Pelicans hope to make another playoff bid and beyond. The team plays its season opener against the Brooklyn Nets.
