Zion Williamson brought excitement to the New Orleans Pelicans last season despite having his minutes limited as a rookie. As the former No. 1 overall pick prepares for his sophomore campaign, Williamson believes he's a much-improved defender for the Pelicans.

“Honestly, just my movements,” he said of being able to move more freely physically, via Jim Eichenhofer of the team's official site. “I’m a basketball player – I rely on instincts and IQ. Last year, I could only rely on IQ and my body wasn’t able to do certain things. Now I have both of them again. I think it’s going to be a big difference.”

Coming into his rookie season, Williamson was one of the most hyped-up rookies since LeBron James. The Duke product, while the Pelicans limited his minutes, lived up to expectations by posting 29.1 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per 36 minutes in the 24 regular-season games he played in.

In addition, Williamson shot an impressive 58.3 percent from the field and 42.9 percent from the three-point line despite attempting only 0.6 three-pointers per game. Amid showing his offensive prowess, some questioned the ability for Williamson to play defense consistently in the NBA.

As a response to the criticism of his defense, Williamson spent the offseason working on that part of his game. With his rookie year behind him, Williamson now seems more confident in his understanding of the game, which should result in him making smarter plays on defense.

It's tough to put a ceiling on a player as talented as Williamson, who is a fantastic athlete for his size. But if he becomes an elite defender, there aren't going to be many weaknesses that teams can expose moving forward.