Kendrick Perkins outlines Zion Williamson's only flaw keeping him #2 for the most dominant player currently: “Zion Williamson is Box Office”
Zion Williamson has remained one of the most unique players in recent memory. Coming out of college, the explosive superstar had shown that he possessed an incredibly unique skill set that allowed him to fill multiple positions. Despite being undersized for his position, Williamson's build allows him to bang with the bigs in the paint and defend whomever he's switched onto.
Despite that, questions have continued to arise regarding Williamson's health. With lower-body injuries plaguing him for long stretches early in his career, many have questioned his longevity. As a result, Williamson has continued to lose weight in order to take the next step in his career.
This year, Williamson has averaged 22.5 points per game, a regression back to his rookie numbers after an All-Star season in 2020-21. He's also averaging rebounding and efficiency numbers on par with those of his rookie season.
"Every time the cameras are on him, he's never failed as far as the highlights and everything else," ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins said. "The only knock I have on Zion, with that athleticism, that size and that strength, I want him to be a better rebounder. He has to be touching double figures or more every single night. He's too strong. He's too athletic.
"Outside of that, he's the most dominant player right under Giannis (Antetokounmpo) in the game today."
The comments came during a recent ESPN appearance, which you can watch below. Perkins' comments begin around the 4:45 mark.
Grading Zion Williamson's first 100 games
Despite being in his third year (not including missing all of last season), Zion Williamson has just now crossed 100 games played.
In his rookie year, he played in just 24 games after tearing his meniscus during the preseason. Despite that, he wound up becoming the first rookie since Michael Jordan to have 16 20-point games over his first 20 games.
The following year, Williamson put on a showcase as he earned his first All-Star selection. Thanks to career-high numbers across the board, he was able to prove that regardless of his injuries the year before, he has what it takes to be a superstar.
However, after that Williamson suffered a Jones fracture in his right foot that wound up sidelining him for the entirety of last season. It marked a major setback for a player who had seemed to just be finding his rhythm in the league.
After signing an extension in the offseason, the race was on for Williamson to silence the doubters once again.
This season, he has shown moments where he looks like one of the best players in the league. With CJ McCollum and Brandon Ingram on either side of him in the New Orleans Pelicans' starting lineup, the future looks bright for Williamson.
On Wednesday, the Pelicans (12-8) will host to the Toronto Raptors (11-9), looking to move one step closer to the No. 1 spot in the Western Conference standings.