“He’s the most dominant interior scorer in the NBA since Shaq” - Brian Windhorst praises Zion Williamson, says he wants to see him go back to his Duke days on defence
Zion Williamson is set to make his much-anticipated return from injury in the upcoming season. However, ESPN analyst Brian Windhorst has greater expectations of the forward as he makes his way back on the floor.
In the extremely short career Williamson has had, the 22-year old has made a significant impact on the league. He has made use of his immense strength and freakish athleticism and is a force of nature.
Replays of Zion Williamson’s explosive dunk vs the Hawks!!👀 Replays of Zion Williamson’s explosive dunk vs the Hawks!! https://t.co/ZLo2oGg8Oi
On ESPN's NBA Today, Brian Windhorst expressed his desire to see the 22-year old go back to his Duke days on defense. After seeing a monster block, he said:
"I'd just like to get him back to his Duke defennsive days. He was one of the best defenders in college basketball. We haven't seen that in the NBA. It's in there."
Williamson isn't necessarily known for his defensive skills during his time in the NBA. Often taken advantage of because of his slower lateral movement, the 22-year old will have his work cut out for him if he is to live up to expectations.
However, his size and strength have helped him in other areas.
Zion shot an impressive 61.1% from the field while notching an average of 27 points per game in the 2021-22 season. Establishing himself as a beast in the paint, Williamson looks nigh unstoppable.
As the NBA Today team continued to react to Williamson's highlights, Windhorst couldn't help but allude to the forward's strength.
"He's the most dominant interior scorer since Shaq."
On the eve of his birthday, the panel really drew attention back to how great Zion Williamson could be. While his skillset may be regarded as rudimentary and raw, his potential is practically endless.
Zion Williamson's return to the New Orleans Pelicans
Zion Williamson joined the New Orleans Pelicans at a time when the franchise was at the beginning of a rebuild. However, three years into his career, the Pelicans finally look like a playoff team.
The side may have barely cracked the Play-In tournament and made a small scratch in the first-round. However, what fans saw was enough to know that the side was on an upward swing.
Served by a talented young core of Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum, the Pelicans will look even more competitive as Zion returns to the lineup.
Brandon Ingram has been cooking the Suns these last 3 games. examining (almost) every shot attempt, long thread
Can’t see the full play here because of a bad camera angle, but switching Chris Paul onto Ingram is death. https://t.co/q6RNSngX7c
Adding one of the most dominant and efficient interior scorers in the game could just be the missing piece. With star power oozing out of every pore, Williamson also has the ability to take over games while deferring to his teammates. This, paired with Ingram's assassin mentality, makes for a near perfect combination.
While the Pelicans are a young team, they appear to be a hungry team.
This block was CRAZY 😤
The No. 8 seed Pelicans defeated the No. 1 seed Phoenix Suns in Game 2, 125-114 ⚜️👏 https://t.co/WFoYRJSAVF