Why Jamahl Mosley Is Perfect Coach to Unlock Zion Williamson

New Orleans Pelicans star forward Zion Williamson is about to embark on his eighth season in the NBA.

Despite the meteoric expectations when the Pelicans drafted him in 2019, the two-time All-Star still faces more questions than answers about his career trajectory—most of them not about his talent, but his nightly availability. Williamson played the second-most games of his career last season, and New Orleans hopes that trend continues soon.

Newly hired coach Jamahl Mosley will be tasked with utilizing the former number one overall pick to his fullest potential, and there's a few things in particular he could help Williamson with.

Jamahl Mosley is perfect coach to make Zion Williamson better for Pelicans

Mosley told the media at his introductory press conference that he believes Williamson hasn’t even “scratched the surface” and praised the forward’s playmaking ability.

"He hasn't even scratched the surface of things he can do," the former Orlando Magic coach said in May. "I really do believe that. And I think being able to open the floor up more for him, attacking, being able to play him in different positions, because he's an excellent basketball player with a high IQ for playmaking, for making guys around him better, knowing when to make plays and the right passes to make."

Mosley will be Williamson’s fifth head coach, but the new coach could help unlock an aspect of his game that would make things easier for him and the Pelicans by creating more transition opportunities.

At 6-foot-6, the former Duke standout is a freak of nature, using his athleticism and power to wreak havoc on opposing defenses. Still, Williamson is one of the most-blocked players in the league. New Orleans' inept three-point shooting often clogs the lanes, leaving the star forward on an island to create his own shot against multiple defenders.

One quick area for improvement would be asking Williamson to take more shots outside the paint, which would reduce traffic around the basket. Until that happens, Mosley’s offensive approach, dictated by his defensive scheme, could create easier opportunities for Zion.

Last season, four Magic players ranked in the top 45 in transition attempts. Comparatively, Williamson ranked 107th with just a little over two transition attempts per game. This was despite the Pelicans having a faster pace than the Magic last season.

New Orleans doesn’t get enough easy baskets for Zion because of poor defensive rebounding and allowing opponent paint points, both near the bottom of the league a season ago. Even though the Pelicans ranked ninth in steals, that didn’t translate into many easy opportunities for Williamson. In fact, his shooting numbers were down significantly last season, and he attempted the fewest shots per game since his rookie year.

Mosley’s presence and emphasis on defensive accountability should help boost Zion’s defensive production, allowing him to create turnovers and start transition opportunities for himself.

He should also benefit from a healthier Dejounte Murray this year, who missed most of last season recovering from a ruptured Achilles injury. Without Murray, the Pelicans lacked quality ball-handlers on the break.

After the team traded Jose Alvarado at the deadline, only rookie Jeremiah Fears was a true ball-handler until Murray made his season debut late in the year. That was a major disadvantage for a player like Zion, who didn't get easy looks in transition.

Williamson again looks to be in great shape this offseason, with his trainer posting videos on social media highlighting his offseason routines. A new coaching regime usually brings a glimmer of hope that some of the things that haunted the team in the past could change for the better.

Mosley’s arrival has fans hoping a new element of Zion’s game can be unlocked, taking both him and the team to the next level.

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