Zion Williamson made his much-anticipated season debut on Wednesday, and he did not disappoint. After scoring just five points in the first three quarters combined, Williamson went on a tear in the fourth, dropping 17 points on 4-4 shooting to finish with 22.
While the Pelicans could not pull away with the victory, Zion’s performance was inspiring. After the game, Pels coach Alvin Gentry described what the rookie star told him as he was getting ready to take him out near the closing minutes of the game.
“Coach, I can win the game for this team. Leave me in."
—Alvin Gentry on what Zion said before he was subbed out (via @MarcJSpearsESPN) pic.twitter.com/DyQ2WvUGU4
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 23, 2020
Zion’s drive and hunger to win must be an encouraging sight for New Orleans, who has had a long history of losing. More than anything, the guy just wanted to win.
17 points in 188 seconds.
That’s what most people will remember from Zion Williamson’s debut.
It was almost the perfect night. Almost.
“It was a dream come true to finally get out there, but at the end of the day I did want to win,” Zion said. https://t.co/LyIKHJTvQF
— Andrew Lopez (@_Andrew_Lopez) January 23, 2020
It’s an encouraging sign for fans, and especially the Pelicans. This may start a chapter that could alter the course of their franchise history.
