"What are the Pelicans getting in Zion Williamson? NBA scouts believe reality doesn't match the hype ... yet"
https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/w...-the-hype-yet/
Lots of video clips of his ability to block shots.
"What are the Pelicans getting in Zion Williamson? NBA scouts believe reality doesn't match the hype ... yet"
https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/w...-the-hype-yet/
Lots of video clips of his ability to block shots.
Will Zion be an all-NBA calibre player his first year? Probably not. He might be an all-star just off hype as long as he has a solid season, but not all-NBA. That's not the point.
The question is, CAN he meet the hype in like, 3 years or so? I believe the answer is yes.
Agreed. I think AD has produced so long, we tend to forget his first season. He averaged 13.5 PPG, 8.2 RPG, and 1.0 APG. Compare that to 25.9/12.0/3.9 this past season, when he wasn't even trying. Lets hope we don't have our expectations for Zion too high the very first season.
Exactly. Although I do think that AD came into the league with a much smaller offensive game than Zion has. With AD, we all knew he had real talent but very few people saw him being a damn near 30 point scorer. His ability to add skills and progress is really very impressive. Zion is coming into the league with a lot more of a polished offensive skillset.
And by all reports he's the hardest worker on the floor
When you combine that with all time attributes that you can't teach... Uranus is the limit
Question for anyone who knows more than me...
How much, if any, could Zion's body change over the first couple of years in the NBA?
I mean, he's 6'7, 285lbs, and not even 19 y/o yet.
So technically, he could still grow and inch or two right? And I'm sure the team would get him on a nutritional plan to help with the weight. Could you imagine this guy at 6'9 and about 260 lbs?
That's technically possible right?
Not to mention any team is gonna tell him to lose weight. I could see 260.
I was saying that a lot. I really feel that he's probably 6'9. I wouldn't be surprised if that ended up being his real height.
Just a reminder as well that if you have strength, bulk, and the know-how, height isn't the be all and end all for a big man. Refer to 6'6'' Charles Barkley for proof.
Zion's Synergy page, as of this morning. pic.twitter.com/0e0Miub4UZ
— TS% Eliot (@Cosmis) April 1, 2019
Stats from April 1st, so fairly late in the season. Lets you get a decent look at Zion's game broken down. Looks pretty encouraging :hihi:
Oh, here's his defense pic.twitter.com/dHRD5LGAkD
— TS% Eliot (@Cosmis) April 1, 2019
And there's his defensive stats. Not quite as universally excellent as his offensive stats, but still very good.
If you've got 22:45 seconds to spare - You have got to watch "Stephen A Smith reacts to Knicks get 3rd overall pick in NBA Draft Lottery". I am NOT a Smith fan, but this is PURE Comedy Gold. The first 15 minutes are absolutely gut crunchingly funny . He is in a light blue shirt on his show.
https://youtu.be/6tWO6tuhDHE
Worth a watch. Very enjoyable for a Pelicans fan. Just post the Southpark clip of Cartman licking tears.
I think part of what makes this rant so enjoyable is how empty he is. His voice is going up and down and his face just looks empty and dead for most of it. There's this surreal contrast between audio and visual. It's very strange, and very effective.
I love this moment though, this moment which exposes so much of the nonsense in the media. He says ''far be it from me to think that the NBA would be like, 'hey, I know we're a global iconic brand, but we only get bigger if New York gets large.''
What?!?! Has this man been WATCHING the NBA for the last 20 years? New York have been less than irrelevant for like 17 of the last 19 years. Just a complete non-factor. And the league is bigger than it's ever been, richer than it's ever been, more viewed than it's ever been worldwide. The success of the New York Knicks could not be LESS relevant to the NBA's overall success as a brand. What the hell is he talking about?!
Also,
''The New Orleans Pelicans, who are run by football people, or at least once upon a time they were!''
Shut up Stephen. NY is still run by James Dolan.
It was, yeah. What makes it so great is the fact that even though he's playing up his feelings as part of a bit, you know deep down he is coming from a real place with this. There's a seed of truth for all of it.
It makes it even sweeter that we're the ones who took Zion from him.
It makes me laugh that the New Orleans Pelicans, despite all of their problems and mistakes, have had 7 seasons with a record that's .500 or better. They've only existed since 2002-3.
The Knicks have only 4 seasons with a .500 record or better since 2000.
The Pelicans have made the playoffs 3 times since 2010. The Knicks, once. IN THE EAST!!!
The Pelicans have won 61 more games than the New York Knicks since 2000, despite not EXISTING for multiple seasons at the beginning of that time.
The Knicks really are the most pathetic franchise in basketball!
The only things sweeter than Knicks fans crying are the tears of Lakers and Sixers fans. Sorry, I grew up in the 60s, so I have disliked these teams for a long, long time.