Zion Williamson Predicted As A Top Frontcourt Player
New Orleans, LA - The start of the 2023-2024 NBA season is a little more than a month away. NBA experts and prognosticators are predicting a multitude of categories for each team. A recent prediction saw five New Orleans Pelicans on the Top 100 NBA players list.
This most recent prediction comes from Bleacher Report's NBA staff. They collaborated to predict the Top 30 Frontcourt Players for the upcoming season. New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson came in at No. 8.
If we knew Zion Williamson would remain relatively healthy for the rest of his career, he'd be far too low in these rankings. There's no one in the NBA who can match his combination of strength and speed, as evidenced by the 26.0 points on 60.8 percent shooting that he averaged in only 33.0 minutes per game this past season.
We don't have the luxury of knowing the future, though. And with Williamson having played only 114 games across his first four seasons—he missed the entire 2021-22 campaign with a foot injury that required surgery—it remains unclear whether his body can hold up to the rigors of the 82-game regular season. Williamson popped up in trade rumors this offseason, which perhaps speaks to the New Orleans Pelicans' ongoing frustration with his lack of availability. However, during an appearance on the Gil's Arena podcast (h/t Andrew Lopez of ESPN.com), Williamson said he's been "locking in on flexibility" and "band work" this offseason to improve his chances of staying healthy moving forward.
Before Williamson suffered the hamstring injury in early January that sidelined him for the rest of the year, the Pelicans were 23-14 and had the third-best record in the West. If he manages to dodge the injury bug this season, the Pelicans could be the out-of-nowhere team that goes on a surprisingly deep playoff run.
Those watching Williamson on Sports on TV Today will be treated nightly to his unique array of power and athleticism. Williamson dominated in the short time he played last season. In 29 games he averaged 26 points, and seven rebounds on 60% shooting from the field. A hamstring injury in January derailed the rest of his season and ultimately the Pelicans' chances for contention.
A healthy season for Zion will no doubt have him higher in the rankings for the future. More importantly, a healthy Zion will mean success for New Orleans on the court. The franchise has never made it past the second round in its history. The core nucleus of Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram, and CJ McCollum look to take this team to heights never seen before.
