It hasn’t taken long for Zion Williamson to show off some of the skills that made him the no-doubt No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft. While he missed a few months to start the year due to knee surgery, Williamson has been immense in 14 games played, averaging 23.4 points and 6.8 rebounds in 28.6 minutes a night.
Unsurprisingly, Williamson has looked better and better as he’s gotten used to life in the league. He’s averaged 28.2 points per game over his last six outings, and prior to Friday’s game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Williamson had five consecutive games with at least 25 points. He fell just short against the Cavs, scoring 24 on 11-for-16 shooting.
Those previous five games, however, put him in some rarified air. Williamson became the first rookie since Michael Jordan to score 25 points in five straight games while shooting at least 57 percent from the field, and when the Pelicans standout learned of this in a media scrum following the Cavs game from teammate Jahlil Okafor, he couldn’t help but smile.
“Chico, my name’s next to Michael Jordan?” Williamson asked Pelicans security officer Chico Robinson, per Andrew Lopez of ESPN. Williamson went on to discuss how he felt about the distinction, and discussed how surreal it is that his name is alongside that of the guy whose logo the former Duke standout wears on his feet.
“I mean, it’s dope. I can’t even lie,” Williamson said. “One of my favorite players growing up. I said in some interview, my mom told me to study film of him so to be in that category, it means a lot.”
The phrase “since Michael Jordan” always means a basketball player did something wildly impressive, and it’s hard for a rookie to be more impressive than Williamson has been early on. His next chance to turn heads will come on Sunday evening, when the Pelicans will play host to the Los Angeles Lakers.
