New Orleans Pelicans’ rookie Zion Williamson is a fun guy to anticipate and therefore write about. We are now within a week of seeing Williamson debut for the Pelicans. A buzz in the city and around the internet exists equally.
Now, Baxter Holmes of ESPN has an extensive article that may explain why the hype for Williamson exists.
More and more, young players entering the NBA are “all gas, no brakes.” But @Zionwilliamson is different, to say the least. My @ESPNNBA feature inside the @PelicansNBA’s efforts to prepare their prized rookie — and a new study that backs their approach: https://t.co/wKoXo1FwJq
— Baxter Holmes (@Baxter) January 16, 2020
First, Pelicans general manager David Griffin weighs in on what is so special about Zion to begin with.
“He’s not quick for a big guy,” New Orleans GM David Griffin says. “He’s quick for quick guys. That’s a really big deal when you’re talking about the amount of torque you generate.”
Next is another quote from Griffin to Holmes, and it’s not often that you hear an NBA GM talk like this about a young player that is yet to play an official game.
“He’s doing s— from a physics perspective that no one else does,” Griffin says. “It’s fascinating to me. We’ve learned more during this process than we’ve taught him.”
The article goes on to talk about how Williamson’s weight is fine as long as his mechanics are. It also gleams with quotes about no one being able to leap and dunk like him with his body type.
You have to wonder if the Williamson hype has substance to it – and while we won’t know for a good while – it seems like he could match expectations for this young New Orleans team.
The NBA is about to catch another breath of excitement in this kid, and we are all for it.
