Zion Williamson came into the NBA with the weight of the world on his shoulders. After a successful season at Duke, Williamson quickly became the most hyped up player since LeBron James back in 2003. The New Orleans Pelicans were lucky enough to draft him first overall this past summer and so far, their investment has paid off. Zion missed the first half of the season with a knee injury but now, he's healthy and in just a few short games, he had made a huge impact.
In a recent interview with Rachel Nichols of ESPN, Williamson spoke about his rookie season and what he's learned thus far. He also got to talk about some of the surprises he has faced. One of the things that have shocked Zion the most is how his teammates have so much faith in him, despite only being an unproven rookie.
“The thing that surprised me the most is how much my teammates looked to me to try and make an impact,” Williamson said. “I thought they would kind of let me feel the game out before they started giving me the ball. But nah, they trusted me.”
While the Pelicans may not make the playoffs, Williamson's presence is certainly encouraging. If this young core continues to get better and Zion stays healthy, they could very well become a problem for years to come.
