Dread it. Run from it. “Point Zion” is still about to arrive all the same.
New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson put on a show Friday in a win over the Philadelphia 76ers. He dropped an eye-popping stat line of 37 points, 15 rebounds and eight assists. The 20-year-old also took on some added ball-handling duties with Lonzo Ball out due to a hip issue.
After the victory, Pelicans coach Stan Van Gundy hinted that Williamson would see more time at the point-guard position.
“We want to get him more experience at that spot going forward because I think that’s where his future is in this game,” said Van Gundy of Williamson, per Christian Clark of the New Orleans Times-Picayune. “I really do.”
At 6-foot-7 and 284 pounds, Williamson brings an upside to the point-guard position that very few players, perhaps only the likes of LeBron James and Ben Simmons, possess. The ex-Duke star is already averaging 26.5 points per game on an elite 61.7 percent from the field this season. Putting the ball in Williamson’s hands as a lead creator would allow him to get downhill and attack the rim more easily, posing a truly horrifying prospect for opponents.
Williamson is also up to 3.6 assists per game this season despite doing only supplementary ball-handling to this point, so the ability is definitely there. He seems more than ready to take on the challenge as well.
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