Zion Williamson happened Wednesday night.
The most highly anticipated debut of recent memory, 2019 No. 1 overall pick Zion Williamson finally commenced Wednesday night, and it did not disappoint. Tentative initially, the 4th quarter saw Williamson completely take over to the tune of 17 straight points to eventually overtake the lead from the San Antonio Spurs. It was a momentous occasion fueled by the Pelicans fans in the Smoothie King Arena, paired with being a national televised game. Tension continued to rise as head coach Alvin Gentry’s decision to keep Williamson on a strict minutes limit did not seem to go over well. “We want Zion” chants erupted frequently throughout the game. However the payoff was well worth it and Twitter seems to agree. Of course, this is a small sample size but if you are a fan of basketball you can’t help but be excited at the possibility of a new face of the league emerging. You also can’t help but understand the Pelicans’ apprehension in playing Williamson too much, too soon. Considering he is coming off an injury that has kept him sidelined since the preseason, slowly integrating him into the game plan seems to be the better course of action.
Zion’s combination of quickness and power is something the league has never seen before and if he lives up to the enormous hype placed upon him this could turn out to be the proverbial torch being passed. There simply isn’t enough hyperboles to describe the magnitude of impact he had on not just the Pelicans, but the entire league. He’s giving us in basketball what Lamar Jackson has been able to give us in football. With his vertical, the sky may actually be the limit for this young man.
Fasten your seatbelts ladies and gentlemen the Zion era has arrived.
Flip the page to watch Zion go off for 17 points in a row.