Zion Williamson's entry to the NBA this season was greeted with so much hype that expectations are high on the rookie player. The 20-year-old is characterized as a future superstar but it seemed not too many league executives would gamble on building a team around on the hulking power forward.
Podcaster Jake Madison pointed to a recent poll of NBA executives - managers and scouts - that placed the New Orleans Pelicans star outside of the Top 5. The question asked: Who they think is the best young player, under the age of 25, to build a team around with?
Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks winning the most votes in the survey was not surprising at all. But Madison said Williamson placing at No. 7 was a puzzle considering that the Pelicans man has proven he is an elite NBA player, notwithstanding the limited time he played in his season debut.
"I do think Zion should be higher in just a pure talent standpoint," Clutch Points reported the podcast host as saying.
Madison said that while Ja Morant is deserving of the Rookie of the Year award, Williamson is not too far behind. If the match-up between the two newbies will be on the games they played and how they performed, the podcaster maintained that Williamson could have been the better man.
Unfortunately, it would seem that the struggle with injuries got the better of Williamson in his first year with the league. Madison said the player's conditioning was not at a competitive level and it showed during the bubble games that saw the Pelicans exiting early.
Madison's take on Williamson is shared by Pelicans guard J.J. Redick, who believes it is a safe bet for his team to build around the big rookie player. Redick said he is convinced New Orleans will do better next season because of Williamson, Brandon Ingrams, and Lonzo Ball.
Ball impressed with his consistent performance during the regular season and he proved that he can be relied on for a stretch of time. Redick said Ball earned his All-Star status and will continue to contribute to the Pelicans cause.
Brandon, for his part, is strongly motivated to do better. The NBA acknowledged his efforts with the Most Improved Player award, and that should tell Brandon is working hard to grow and achieve greater things, according to Redick.
"You have to build around those three guys and everybody else will continue to develop and get better. Those three guys are going to be the leaders and headliners for the team going forward. They have a lot of potential and excitement," Redick told the USA Today.
When the next season starts, the NBA can expect a different game from Williamson, who Redick said will be in top form and certainly gunning for the title.
