Zion Williamson is off and running to start the 2023–24 NBA season. The Pelicans star has been riddled with injuries throughout his young career but one ESPN analyst thinks Williamson will be in the conversation for MVP—with just one stipulation.
During an appearance on Get Up on Thursday morning, host Mike Greenberg asked basketball analyst Monica McNutt if Williamson would be an MVP candidate if he played in 70 games this season.
“If he plays 70 games, yes, I think he will be,” she said. “Because you’re going to be talking about this Pelicans squad.”
Last year, New Orleans was atop the Western Conference when Williamson was healthy but things spiraled once he again caught the injury bug. The team finished 42–40 and missed the playoffs.
"If he plays 70 games, yes, I think [Zion Williamson] will be [a MVP candidate]."
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) November 2, 2023
—@McNuttMonica pic.twitter.com/rnMjYUVJ4X
Williamson’s level of play has never been questioned, but his ability to stay on the floor has. The 23-year-old has played in just 118 games since he was drafted with the No. 1 pick in 2019. But so far this year, he’s managed to stay on the floor consistently while producing at a high level.
The Pelicans are 3–1 and Williamson has played in all of their games, averaging 21.5 points, 6.8 rebounds and four assists in the process. It’s a long 82-game season, but hopefully, the star forward can stay healthy long enough to prove McNutt right.
