Zion Williamson Putting NBA on Notice as Pelicans Emerge as Legit Contender

The former No. 1 draft pick is on a tear, and the New Orleans Pelicans are playing well behind their leader.

Zion Williamson recently admitted Pelicans players “weren’t on the same page” but was adamant that a team meeting had cleared up the issue while aligning the team’s mindset.

The noteworthy comment came after a stretch in which New Orleans defeated three likely playoff teams in the Mavericks (by 21), the defending champion Nuggets and the Kings (by 36). It also marked the start of a dominant stretch for Williamson and a run of victories that has made the Pelicans hard to ignore as a sleeper pick to possibly make a postseason run.

It may seem outlandish to hand out praise of that magnitude to a team sitting at 10–9 on the season and currently holding the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference. But behind the stellar play of Williamson, it’s become apparent that as the 23-year-old goes, the Pelicans will as well—and that looks like a great thing based on recent results.

The Pelicans are 5-1 in forward Zion Williamson’s past six games with wins over the Nuggets, Clippers, 76ers and Kings (twice).  :: Petre Thomas/USA TODAY Sports

Impact of Zion Williamson’s Recent Dominant Stretch

Williamson has played in 15 games so far this season, averaging 24.0 points, 5.9 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game while shooting 56.6% from the field. Over his first nine games of the season, the 6’6” forward had a mixture of up and down performances, topping the 25-point scoring mark just once. During that stretch, Williamson averaged 16.6 shot attempts per game.

The Pelicans were 4–5 in those games, but significant shift for both Williamson and the Pelicans was to come.

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In Williamson’s six games since that point, he has scored at least 25 points in every game. He’s averaging 28.0 points per game while attempting 17 shots per game. This has highlighted an increase in shooting percentage from 51.7% over his first nine games to 63.7% during his past six.

But the most significant impact of Williamson’s dominant play has come in the win-loss column. The Pelicans are 5–1 in Williamson’s past six games, defeating the aforementioned Nuggets, the Kings twice, the Clippers, and most recently, the 76ers in a game in which Williamson shot 91.7% from the field en route to 33 points.

Williamson’s play has correlated directly with New Orleans’s best basketball of the season. The quality of wins, paired with Zion’s emergence as an elite player, has served as a message to the league that the Pelicans have the upside and talent to emerge as a legitimate contender.

The Pelicans (10–9) play host to the Spurs (3–14) Friday at 8 p.m. ET.