Zion Williamson reveals his top 5 Anime - "Number one is Naruto; I'll throw Dragon Ball Z in there"
New Orleans Pelicans big man Zion Williamson is an anime superfan. In a recent interview, the Pelicans star revealed his five favorite anime and anime characters.
Zion Williamson made his long-awaited return to the NBA this season. After being plagued by foot injuries last season, Zion returned to the Pelicans with a five-year contract in hand.
Looking like the best version of himself physically, it was obvious that Williamson took his offseason training seriously. Given the expectations placed upon him to lead this young Pelicans team, the 22-year old needed the motivation to step up. Williamson's love for anime inspired him to become a better basketball player.
As an anime fan, Williamson mentioned that he looked up to the popular anime character Uzumaki Naruto from the Naruto series. Williamson revealed that 'Naruto' gave him the motivation to push through his difficult injury recovery process.
Given his interest in anime, Williamson was asked to rank his top five favorite anime. The Pelicans forward answered:
"Number one is Naruto. One Punch Man. Death Note. One Piece. I'll throw Dragon Ball Z in there."
Zion was also asked about his top five favorite anime characters. He replied:
"Naruto. Jiraiya. Light Yagami. Goku. And, man...say Sasuke."
Zion's top 5 anime
1. Naruto
2. One Punch Man
3. Death Note
4. One Piece
5. Dragon Ball Z
(Via @PelicansNBA) https://t.co/TnenBwTcJE
It is safe to say that the Pelicans superstar knows his anime lore fairly well. The New Orleans Pelicans will certainly benefit from Zion Williamson's approach towards improvement.
Zion Williamson is the key to the New Orleans Pelicans' success
Zion Williamson is one of the most gifted young players in the NBA. With an effective combination of raw strength and athleticism, the 22-year has the ability to dominate the league.
Williamson has already missed a significant amount of time in his career. But the New Orleans Pelicans are well-aware of how important he is to the franchise. Paired with the likes of Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum, the Pelicans view Williamson as a key to their success.
Williamson averaged 27 points and 7.2 rebounds in his sophomore season. He also shot 61.1% from the field.
He has been a bit rusty to start the season, but has been productive. He has averaged 22.8 points and 7.4 rebounds in five games. He has missed two games due to injury. The Pelicans are seventh in the Western Conference with a 4-3 record.
The Pelicans will host the Golden State Warriors at Smoothie King Center on Friday. Tip-off is scheduled for 8:30pm/ET.