Zion Williamson It was one of the great reasons to know about its launch Season 2022-2023 from NBA. A player with a mixture of technical and physical ability that we have never seen before and who due to injuries has not appeared on the pitch since April 2021. Now all that is part of the past, a past that he left behind in the first match of this course, where Zion reminded the whole world why he is considered one of the great talents of his generation.
In the blink of an eye, the New Orleans Pelicans star went to 25 points on 11-of-22 shooting from the field, adding 3 assists, 4 steals and 9 rebounds. A round in style that put a Defensive Player of the Year finalist like Ben Simmons in serious trouble, who didn’t know or couldn’t contain an unleashed Zion.
If no one had mentioned that Williamson hadn’t played a Regular Season game in over a year and a half, the performance would have gone unnoticed. And that’s what makes him so remarkable, because the youngster looked his usual self and that’s very bad news for his rivals.
But how did he do it? And more importantly, how does Zion Williamson manage to be so unstoppable on offense? It’s time to analyze The possession, a section in which The Sporting News NBA Staff analyzes a specific action of a specific game of the season, revealing behind it a much greater meaning than meets the eye.
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occupation
Why Zion Williamson is so unstoppable
Put Zion Williamson’s offensive impact down to the fact that he only uses his power to benefit himself It would be like talking about Chris Paul standing out only because he knows how to pass the ball well, or Stephen Curry scoring three-pointers. There are many more and being a player with physical attributes similar to those of the South Carolina native is far from easy. More when the combination of speed and size acquire in Zion a whole new dimension.
This particular action standout serves as a perfect example of the player he is. And, unlike the person opposite him, Ben Simmons, it’s a tangible reality in the present, not an eternal project. Williamson quickly appears on the offensive court, slowing his craft and sensing various things around him.
The first is that the area is clear, at least in its direct diagonal to the rim, being alone Patty Mills (1.85; 81 kg) the main hurdle their pair overcame.
The second is how quickly you react defense application by Simmons. Sione switches the ball from left to right (his bad hand) and the Nets man changes his body position accordingly. Taking advantage of how far the Australian is from Williamson, he executes another hand change and automatically explodes for an uncontested split at the rim.
It’s the details that make the difference:
And it’s one thing to have a privileged body (height, weight, bodybuilding) and another to know how to use it, because that requires training and self-awareness. Zion Williamson knows very well how to make the most of his virtues in the best possible way. He doesn’t constantly seek contact as a source of offensive production, rather it is a consequence of previous movement, since its absorption is what facilitates his scoring and not the other way around.
The easiest way to check is to look at its low suspension performance. Against Brooklyn, he averaged 1.22 points per possession in those types of situations, not far from his 1.04 last season (71st percentile).
Unlike other power forwards in the low post, Zion doesn’t have good options because of friction, but with technique, lower body coordination and an unerring instinct to find space among so many defenders.
The Pelicans point guard thrives like a fish in water in these situations, which is a consequence of doing a great job of sealing and positioning up front. Well, the moment you receive he only has to “read” his opponent’s body and here’s to the hoop.
On the other hand, one of the aspects that Stan Van Gundy began to outline in his only season in charge of the Pelicans was to gradually give him more responsibility with the ball. This, beyond increasing possessions, was more about making him a playmaker. What was named as Point-Zion It made perfect sense and was a first step towards an evolution in his offensive repertoire that would make him even more unstoppable.
Although the timeout has slowed that rise, Willie Green made it clear that route is still on the table and he just needs to struggle to acclimate to the team’s routine.
Through Williamson’s direct block and pass, a universe of possibilities opens up to take advantage of his incredible offensive read ability:
Zion Williamson’s offensive potential is truly limitless.. His lack of a jump shot takes a back seat when you consider what he is capable of when attacking from the outside, his determination and his ability to dribble and pass.
And the best thing about his profile is that he is so decisive and efficient in attack that the ball is barely in his hands (2.6 seconds) so that the rhythm is not interrupted or altered. In addition, he has shown that he can make an impact when he is not the main target of the game as he cuts, loads the offensive rebound and moves well.
During the game against Brooklyn, Zion did everything they wanted on offense. Splits, low post, direct blocks, cuts… He beat Ben Simmons without a problem in almost any kind of situation and when he had the chance he shared the ball with the rest.
If the Pelicans were already a dangerous team last season, with this Zion Williamson their potential is limitless.
The views expressed here do not necessarily represent the NBA or its organizations.
