Dread it. Run from it. “Point Zion” is still about to arrive all the same.
New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson put on a show Friday in a win over the Philadelphia 76ers. He dropped an eye-popping stat line of 37 points, 15 rebounds, and eight assists. The 20-year-old also took on some added ball-handling duties with Lonzo Ball out due to a hip issue.
After the victory, Pelicans coach Stan Van Gundy hinted that Williamson would see more time at the point guard position moving forward.
“We want to get him more experience at that spot going forward because I think that’s where his future is in this game,” said Van Gundy of Williamson, per Christian Clark of the New Orleans Times-Picayune. “I really do.”
At 6-foot-7 and 284 pounds, Williamson brings an upside to the point guard position that very few players, perhaps only the likes of LeBron James and Ben Simmons, possess. The ex-Duke star is already averaging 26.5 points per game on an elite 61.7 percent from the field this season. Putting the ball in Williamson’s hands as a lead creator would allow him to get downhill and attack the rim more easily, posing a truly horrifying prospect for opponents.
Williamson is also up to 3.6 assists per game this season despite only doing supplementary ball-handling to this point, so the ability is definitely there. He seems more than ready to take on the challenge as well.
