C.J. McCollum Has Thrown Zion Williamson’s Name Into The MVP Race

C.J. McCollum says that Zion Williamson has been playing at an MVP level.

4 Min Read

Credit: Scott Wachter/USA Today Sports

Zion Williamson is currently flying high along with the New Orleans Pelicans. The team looks stacked and finds themselves firmly atop the Western Conference. Zion missed all of last season with an injury, and during that time, the Pelicans showed that they had what it takes to be a perennially top team in the league if they got a healthy and committed Zion back. 

And despite a bit of a slow start after missing all of last season, Zion Williamson has found his groove again. His size and touch make him a monster in the paint, and he showed that against the Phoenix Suns on Friday night. Zion also punctuated the Pelicans‘ win with an emphatic windmill dunk that kicked off a bit of a scuffle between the two teams. But it’s safe to say that he is performing at an elite level now, and his teammates are ensuring that people take notice of that. 


C. J. McCollum Says Zion Williamson Is Playing Like An MVP 

Adding C.J. McCollum to their team was a huge boost to a Pelicans roster that has come together incredibly in 2022. And now that they have Zion back, a run to the NBA Finals does not seem out of the question for them at all. So if they are going to be the top seed in the Western Conference, it means that their best player should be in the MVP conversation, which is exactly what McCollum suggested after the Suns win. 

(starts at 2:07 minutes)

“He was a plus 30 in a close game, so that tells you how dominant he was offensively, defensively. Pushing tempo, getting to the free throw line. He gets us in the bonus early, changes the game for everybody. Makes the game easier in terms of pushing tempo. Always putting pressure on the basket and always drawing multiple defenders… He’s delivering and playing like an MVP.”

The MVP race is hard to call at the moment, although most people seem to agree that Jayson Tatum, Luka Doncic, and Giannis Antetokounmpo are among the top candidates to get the award. If the Pelicans gain some separation at the top in the West, Zion could well have a case, though. 

In his last 8 games, Zion is averaging over 27 points to go along with 9 rebounds and 5 assists per game. Those are MVP-type numbers, especially when they lead to wins. Williamson has had his struggles with trolling and issues with his weight, but the fastest way to shut up all that noise is to become the MVP. 

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Divij Kulkarni is an NBA columnist for Fadeaway World. He has covered the NBA and the English Premier League, with 4 years of experience in creating sports content. Finding exciting and intriguing content about all things NBA is both his job and his passion. Divij loves the Dallas Mavericks and can be regularly observed getting emotional during games. Outside of basketball, he enjoys reading fantasy and sci-fi novels, consuming copious amounts of movies and TV, and spending time with his dog, Olivia. Expertise: NBA, Historical Sports ResearchFavorite Team: Dallas MavericksFeatured On HoopsHype, Sports Illustrated, Secret Base, MSNPrevious Work: Tribuna
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