Pelicans Forward Zion Williamson Ranked Among Best No. 1 Options in the NBA

The Pelicans star is the key for New Orleans to have any chance of winning this season.

Mar 30, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) looks on against the Boston Celtics during the second half at Smoothie King Center. / Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

The NBA is a star-driven league where the top echelon players dictate the team's direction. Every team has its go-to guy, who expects to carry the lion's share of the responsibility for winning. The New Orleans Pelicans believe they have that player in Zion Williamson.

Williamson has been a dominant force in the paint since he came into the league in 2019. The two-time All-Star has averaged nearly 60% shooting from the field in his five-year career. Yahoo Sports recently released its list of the best No. 1 options in the NBA, and the former Duke phenom ranked No. 16 in the NBA.

Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic tops the list, which should be no surprise to anyone. Jokic has won three of the last four MVPs and is an NBA champion. Williamson appears right after Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler but directly in front of Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard.

The Pelicans forward enters this season coming off the healthiest year of his career. He started 70 games in 2023, averaging 22.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, and a career-high five assists per game. During the offseason, Williamson made waves on social media with his new slimmed-down physique.

Reports are that the South Carolina native is down to 281 pounds, slimmer than his college playing weight of 285. His stepfather says the plan is for Williamson to get down to 272 before the season starts. The team hopes a more slender forward will curtail the chance of injury he's suffered during his career. He has yet to appear in a playoff game since being drafted in 2019 because every year has been cut short due to injury.

New Orleans believes acquiring former All-Star Dejounte Murray will alleviate some of the playmaking responsibilities thrust on Williamson. After spending the last two seasons in Atlanta playing alongside guard Trae Young, Murray will assume his more natural point guard position. During his final season in San Antonio, the Seattle, Washington native averaged a career-high 9.2 assists. The Pelicans having another ball handler allows Williamson to conserve his energy and roam exclusively in the paint.

With Brandon Ingram's future in New Orleans uncertain, Williamson is the unquestioned future of the Pelicans. The team is curating its roster around his talents, and his health and play will determine the team's success. Another healthy, productive season from him will no doubt catapult him higher on a list like this in the future. That will increase the Pelicans' likelihood of being a true contender in the Western Conference.