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Zion Williamson will be into his third NBA campaign for the New Orleans Pelicans when the 2021-22 season arrives later this year. The No. 1 pick in the 2019 draft was one of the best players in the league this season, but was mostly ignored by voters for a spot in any of the All-NBA teams.
Averaging 27 points on 61.1% shooting from the field, to go along with 7.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game during the 2020-21 season, Zion Williamson impressed in his second season. His improvements, coupled with his exciting plays, made him a fan favorite, and he became a first-time All-Star.
The All-NBA team snub, though, brought Williamson back to earth. Clearly, the New Orleans Pelicans forward has plenty of work to do to change the minds of the voters, but he also needs to work on his game to be considered a shoo-in for that.
Zion Williamson is a superstar in the making
As good as he is now, Zion Williamson has holes in his game that require some work in the off-season.
Nearly all his numbers went up from his rookie season to his sophomore year. But if he is going to take the leap into true superstardom, Williamson will have to fine-tune his game ahead of his third year with the New Orleans Pelicans.
Here are three things Zion Williamson will have to focus on this off-season to improve as a player:
#3 Shooting
Williamson’s skills around the basket area are already some of the best in the NBA right now.
The next step Williamson will have to take this upcoming season will be to expand his range and add a mid-range jumper to his arsenal. He doesn’t necessarily need a three-point shot before he perfects his shooting from near the shaded area.
If he’s watching the Phoenix Suns this postseason, the New Orleans Pelicans phenom will see that he can do what Chris Paul is doing to opponents: stopping at the elbows and knocking down 15-foot jumpers left and right.
It’s a simple enough shot. If Zion Williamson were to master it, he could be next to impossible to stop.
#2 Defense
One of the knocks on Zion Williamson’s game is his attention to detail at the defensive end of the court. His size and athletic ability are huge attributes, but he has plenty of work to do to become an above-average defender, at the very least.
This season, Williamson was a poor closeout defender and was not a very good rim protector for the New Orleans Pelicans. Moreover, he sometimes seems distracted in defense and is slow to react on switches.
Opponents would invariably have an easy time getting to the rim with Williamson in front of them, which needs to change.
If he’s working with the New Orleans Pelicans on improving anything at all this off-season, Williamson could be a much better player by being more attentive at the defensive end. Hiring a trainer to work with him regularly, both mentally and technically, could do wonders in helping him address this weakness.
#1 Rebounding
For a player of his heft and explosiveness, Zion Williamson is a poor rebounder. NBA legend and TNT analyst Charles Barkley, who at 6' 6", once led the league in rebounding, has expressed disappointment that Williamson isn’t a better rebounder.
At 284 pounds and with a leaping ability that would put many lighter players to shame, Zion Williamson averages only 7.2 rebounds per game. Part of the reason for his lack of boards is his inability to watch where an opponent’s shot will fall if it misses while he looks to box out his man.
Though defensive rebounding is also a skill, this weakness in Williamson's game is so glaring that it deserves to be brought to the fore.
Zion Williamson’s defensive rebounding should go up from 4.5 to 7.5 next season, at the very least. He could easily become a double-double machine in his third season if he develops a feel for the game at both ends of the floor.
Not only will Williamson be a better player, but the New Orleans Pelicans will also be much improved, and he could potentially get a taste of the playoffs next season.
Also Read: Is Michael Jordan's 1993 NBA Finals against the Phoenix Suns the best championship performance ever?
