No. 1 overall pick Zion Williamson will take the floor for the first time in a New Orleans Pelicans jersey Friday night in Las Vegas, and the former Duke superstar will face off against R.J. Barrett in one of the most highly anticipated Summer League matchups in years.
Williamson is already under immense pressure to live up to expectations and prove he can be productive in the NBA – and while Zion was the clear choice at No. 1, not every basketball expert is convinced his talents will necessarily translate to NBA success. Shaquille O’Neal has repeatedly made the case that Williamson’s size will be an issue, and even went as far to say that he’d rather build a team around Bol Bol – the 44th overall pick – than Zion. Shortly after the draft, Enes Kanter called Williamson “overhyped,” and said he’s merely “Julius Randle with hops.”
Williamson will certainly face scrutiny if he has a poor outing in his debut – but it’s important to remember that even the best current players in the world didn’t necessarily dominate the NBA Summer League. Here’s how five NBA stars performed in their first professional games:
LeBron James: 14 points, seven rebounds, six assists
Giannis Antetokounmpo: 17 points, six rebounds
Kevin Durant: 18 points, one rebound
Blake Griffin: 27 points, 12 rebounds
Although Williamson has been hyped as the “next LeBron” for some time, his current game has drawn plenty of comparisons to a young Blake Griffin, who spent most of his time above the rim hammering dunks over helpless defenders.
Julius Randle: 10 points, 2 rebounds
If Williamson only manages 10 points and two rebounds against the Knicks, the daytime television hot takes are going to be unbearable.
