Zion Williamson has teased us many times before. It’s been an annual tradition for photos to emerge of Williamson seemingly in great physical condition during the preseason, only for him to enter the regular season out of shape.
But it appears Zion has finally come good. Yes, there have been more promising photos:
But there’s also been some very compelling in-game action that suggests the former number-one pick is returning to the peak of his athletic powers.
One of the best examples is this play:
Zion coast-to-coast to beat the Q3 buzzer 🚨 pic.twitter.com/ynPD0YUnxx
— NBA TV (@NBATV) March 16, 2024
Williamson has barely, if ever, been capable of that level of speed during his time in the NBA. This is borderline Duke Zion. He’s looking so good that even Stephen A. Smith is giving him props.
There’s also this one very telling stat:
Zion Williamson registered 14 blocks over his first 38 games played this season
He has 19 over his last 15
The bounce is back #Pelicans pic.twitter.com/xcg3FesOac
— Brett Usher (@UsherNBA) March 11, 2024
And just look at the monstrous nature of these blocks:
Some of Zion Williamson’s best blocks since returning from the All-Star break.
The bounce is back. pic.twitter.com/hlIOVjYphb
— Will Guillory (@WillGuillory) March 11, 2024
While blocks are hardly a perfect sole indicator of athleticism, in Zion’s case, his sharp uptick in that category matches what the eye test has been telling us: he’s getting his lift back.
Most importantly, Williamson’s physical improvement is translating into team success, with New Orleans winning 15 of their past 20 games. The Pelicans have the third-highest winning percentage in the league over that stretch.
It great to have you back, Zion.
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