A lot of people expected Zion Williamson to become a perennial All-Star almost right away, but not many people thought he’d earn a spot in just his second season in the league.
The former 1st overall pick didn’t crack the starters list as a fan favorite but got the nod with the coaches and players’ vote, and was even asked to slide into the starting lineup for Team Durant when Joel Embiid was forced to sit out due to health and safety protocols.
Zion lived up to the task by putting up 10 points and a rebound in 14 minutes, including some electrifying dunks, as expected.
After the game, the New Orleans Pelicans star was overwhelmed by emotion, claiming that it meant a lot for him to be an All-Star starter because that meant he got the recognition of his coach:
“It meant a lot. It happened for certain reasons obviously because few players weren’t here. It’s still an honor. The coach selected me to be the starter. Like I said, man, I enjoy those moments. I’ll go celebrate with my family,” the sophomore forward said.
Zion Williamson on his first #NBAAllStar Game experience and start!#NBAAllStarMedia presented by AT&T pic.twitter.com/KHqPjNDaWU
— NBA (@NBA) March 8, 2021
Zion continues to prove that he’s got what it takes to become one of the faces of the league for many, many years to come.
Besides his high-flying dunks and his power, Williamson has put a lot of work on his overall repertoire; putting the ball on the floor, creating for others, and even slightly improving as an on-ball defender.
There’s no doubt that there will be many more All-Star Game appearances – and starts – for Zion Williamson in the future, and there aren’t many players that are built for those kinds of games as he is. He’s already one of the finest entertainers in the league.
