Zion Williamson entered the NBA with more fanfare than any player since LeBron James in 2003, but will the former Duke standout be able to claim Rookie of the Year honors, as Luka Doncic did in his debut season?
Williamson and Doncic took far different paths to the NBA. Luka, who hails from Slovenia, began rising through the ranks of the Euroleague from the young age of 13. He claimed several prestigious accolades overseas, including a Euroleague championship and an MVP award.
After parting ways with Real Madrid, Luka declared himself eligible for the 2018 NBA Draft, which led to a firestorm of interest from teams around the league. He was ultimately taken 3rd overall by the Atlanta Hawks, then traded to the Dallas Mavericks.
Doncic played well in his debut season with Dallas, averaging 21.2 points on 42.7 percent shooting from the field (32.7 percent from beyond the arc), 7.8 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 1.1 steals in 32.2 minutes per outing. As a result of his fine play, the NBA recognized Luka Doncic as their 2019 Rookie of the Year.
Zion, on the other hand, was born in the Piedmont region of North Carolina. He played his high school ball in Spartanburg, South Carolina, where he grew from 5-9 to 6-3 between eighth and ninth grade. It wasn't long before scouts were turning their eyes in his direction.
As a freshman at Spartanburg Day High School, Williamson's talents began to shine. He led the Griffins to a state championship game appearance that season, finishing with averages of 24.4 points, 9.4 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 3.3 steals and 3.0 blocks. Outstanding numbers for any player, but truly impressive for a freshman.
Fast forward to Williamson's senior season in high school and you'll see that he's won three state championships. By this time, collegiate scouts were hot on his trail. Even celebrities were on the Zion train. In fact, Drake wore Zion's jersey during his junior year.
Zion committed to play his collegiate ball at Duke in a live ESPN telecast. He needed just one season with the Blue Devils to prove his NBA mettle.
Simply put, Williamson was phenomenal in his rookie season at Duke. Through his 33 appearances in that campaign, he averaged 22.6 points, 8.9 rebounds, 2.1 steals, and 1.8 blocks per game. He shot an incredible 68 percent from the field, which led the ACC and was second in the NCAA. Even more impressive, Zion became the third freshman to record 500 points, 50 steals and 50 blocked shots in a season. The only others to achieve this feat are Anthony Davis and Kevin Durant.
Williamson declared his eligibility for the 2019 NBA Draft in June and was selected with the No. 1 overall pick by the New Orleans Pelicans, who were winners of the draft lottery. He looked fantastic in the early stages of the preseason, averaging 23.3 points and 6.5 rebounds in his four appearances. However, a knee ailment has forced the rookie forward to the sidelines since. He underwent arthroscopic surgery to address a torn lateral meniscus in his right knee in October. Most reports are predicting a mid-December return, but the Pelicans will likely be cautious with their approach.
“He’s dying to be back out here,” Pelicans head coach Alvin Gentry said of Zion Williamson, via The Undefeated. “He’s taking his rehab very, very serious. He’s chomping on the bit. We’d love to have him out there because he is a game-changer.”
Zion Williamson certainly has the talent to win Rookie of the Year honors, but he'll need to get healthy first. If his recovery takes longer than planned, though, he might not have enough time to claim the award.
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