Zion Williamson ☆ Follow

Starts 3 of 3 games · 3rd on NOP in minutes · Core role

Bars: minutes in his last 3 games · numbers: points

Situational splits: turn on Prediction tools.

Every situation, with four seasons of history →

• Podcast The Athletic NBA Daily · 5 points · 43 h ago
  • In crunch time Mosley kept Fears on the floor (he had a shot to tie at the end) with no Herb Jones. Indiana ran Haliburton-Siakam pick-and-roll at Fears and Zion. Shamit disagreed with the call. at 35:48
  • The host's line for Zion in the opener: 2 threes, 3 steals, 5-of-12 inside the arc and only 3 rebounds. Shamit puts him at "I think" 4-of-11 on twos (see contradictions). at 37:01
  • Shamit liked Zion's confidence taking threes but was not encouraged by his lack of burst and finishing at the rim. He calls it a worrying trend for those who think Zion is no longer the same athlete. at 37:44
  • Shamit thinks many hardcore Pelicans fans are ready to move on from Zion and clear the way for young players like Fears and Derik Queen. at 38:46
  • Queen played 18 minutes, a couple of them with Zion. Shamit prefers Zion-Queen pairings to Yves Missi, because Zion's defender sags into the paint and takes away Missi's rolling lane. He likes Zion-Queen mostly against bench units. at 43:08

  “Sixers Thrive + Jamal Murray down bad? | Slam N Jam” · listen ↗

• Podcast Locked On NBA host · Report · Oct 24 around the league

  Utah beat New Orleans 120-119. Darryn Peterson won it with two free throws. Zion Williamson was then called for an offensive foul on a charge taken by Keyonte George, and the Pelicans' challenge failed.

  “BEST NBA NIGHT EVER! YOU HAD TO BE THERE!” at 8:28 · listen ↗

• Podcast Locked On Pelicans · 6 points · Oct 22
  • Opening-game starting five: Yves Missi, Zion Williamson, Trey Murphy, Dejounte Murray, Jeremiah Fears. at 2:18
  • Host says Fears, Murray and Zion are all ball-dominant and all trying to get to the paint. at 2:39
  • Fears was hunted on defense, and Zion offered little on the boards. at 3:17
  • Zion shot some threes in game one. at 6:32
  • Host thinks the team is changing Zion's approach, giving him less responsibility for crashing into the paint so he stays healthier. at 25:26
  • Murphy shot under 40% in clutch moments last year. Host wants him getting the ball late, not Zion taking the last three, and hopes Fears or Queen develop into a closer. at 27:25

  “Impossible Puzzle? | New Orleans Pelicans Starting Five EXPOSED as Defensive Liabilities Mount” · listen ↗

• Podcast Zach Lowe, The Zach Lowe Show · Report · Oct 22 around the league

  The Pelicans brought Derik Queen off the bench and started Jeremiah Fears. The rest of the sentence is ambiguous: either Dejounte Murray barely played, or Murray started and Queen and Zion barely played together. Lowe says he has no idea what this team is supposed to be.

  “Opening Night Overreactions, Alarming Trends, Hot Takes, and More!” at 1:15:55 · listen ↗

• Podcast Get Up host · Report · Oct 22 around the league

  On the Pelicans' last possession, Jeremiah Fears missed, and Zion Williamson's attempt came up short.

  “Hour 1: Hollywood Heat, The McCarthy Era, Lamar Limbo” at 16:31 · listen ↗

• Podcast All The Smoke host · Analysis · Oct 21 around the league

  Zion Williamson looks good and slim in photos, though one speaker jokes the pictures might be AI. 28 and 12 with three blocks is cited as his production.

  “Jalen Hurts Deserved BETTER Than This” at 1:10:08 · listen ↗

• Podcast The Athletic NBA Daily host · Analysis · Oct 22 around the league

  For the Pelicans, Zion looked good and Yves Missi had a great game. A host thinks the group is better than last season, especially with Dejounte Murray.

  “Wolves Make a Big Statement in Miami + Luka’s Showtime Era Begins” at 19:58 · listen ↗

• Podcast Locked On NBA host · Analysis · Oct 22 around the league

  Zion Williamson went 2-of-4 from three and took a late three with a chance to tie or nearly tie. Ryan (inferred) says he looked uncomfortable but suggests this could be an area where he grows.

  “GAME NIGHT: Ant/LaMelo SHINE in Debut, Luka talks trash, Ty Jerome goes OFF” at 23:15 · listen ↗

• Podcast Locked On Pelicans · 7 points · Oct 22
  • Jake Madison: The host blames poor finishing at the rim on spacing. He says Zion Williamson drew two defenders whenever he got inside, which often forced misses. at 3:17
  • Jake Madison: Final possession: down three with 14 seconds left after a stop, Trey Murphy never touched the ball. Jeremiah Fears was hounded and missed a running deep three. Zion grabbed the offensive rebound and airballed a three. at 3:55
  • Jake Madison: Zion Williamson scored 22 points but only 7 in the second half. The Pelicans lost the second half by 13. at 8:58
  • Jake Madison: In the first quarter, Zion Williamson mostly stood in the corner waiting for catch-and-shoot chances. The host wants Zion taking threes in the right way, but says that usage "ain't it." at 9:14
  • Jake Madison: Zion Williamson's line: 7-of-16 shooting, 22 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals, 6-of-6 free throws and 2-of-4 from three. One of the threes was a halftime buzzer-beater. The host calls him more impactful than in preseason. at 25:58
  • Jake Madison: After Zion hit his first three, he pump-faked on the next possession, drove past the defense and scored on a goaltend. The host wants him to do more of this. at 26:25
  • Jake Madison: The host thought Zion Williamson looked active and good on defense overall. at 16:17

  “New Coach, Same Problems: Pelicans' Opening Night Loss Exposes Familiar Flaws” · listen ↗

• Podcast Locked On Pelicans · 3 points · Oct 21
  • The host treats Zion Williamson as a lock to start, says Trey Murphy III 'feels like' a lock, and pencils in Yves Missi as the starting center. at 2:45
  • In preseason, the lineup of Fears, Herb Jones, Trey Murphy, Zion Williamson and Missi has not been very good; the offense did not work well with that group. at 3:15
  • The host thinks the answer 'might be' to start both Fears and Murray, and would 'not be shocked' by a starting five of Fears, Murray, Murphy, Williamson and Missi. That five has barely played together in preseason. at 3:54

  “Jeremiah Fears’ RISE Pushes New Orleans Pelicans Toward Unexpected Lineup Changes on Opening Night” · listen ↗

• Podcast Locked On Pelicans · 3 points · Oct 20
  • The host names long defenders who can help cover ground on closeouts: Herbert Jones, Dejounte Murray, Trey Murphy III and Zion Williamson. at 15:01
  • Even without crashing, the team has good offensive rebounders: Zion Williamson has a great second jump, Derik Queen is very good, and Yves Missi is exceptional. at 21:53
  • In an imagined voice of Mosley's approach, the host says the team has no elite rebounding center and that Zion Williamson is undersized at that position. So guards like Fears and Dejounte Murray need to help on the defensive glass. This is the host's paraphrase, not a quote. at 26:23

  “Jamahl Mosley's NEW Defense Is Already Changing the New Orleans Pelicans” · listen ↗

• Podcast Locked On Pelicans · 6 points · Oct 19
  • Host calls this at best neutral. at 17:36
  • Fears hit Zion Williamson with quick outlets in semi-transition several times, so Zion could attack one-on-one before the defense set. The host frames this as a way to keep Zion out of double and triple teams. Fears also made outlets to Trey Murphy and Herb Jones. at 6:08
  • Zion Williamson went 5-of-14 for 11 points and took four threes. The host says he has looked "a little bit weird" in preseason but not bad. at 6:11
  • Zion missed all four of his threes. Host opinion: he should keep shooting them and make threes part of his shot diet to build spacing over time. at 26:33
  • Host opinion: Karlo Matkovic needs to be in the rotation. He can unlock spacing and seems an ideal fit next to Zion. at 24:11
  • Host says Zion is trying on defense, shuffling his feet and moving well. He also says the new defensive schemes look pretty good. at 19:08

  “ACCELERATE: Jeremiah Fears DRIVES Pelicans’ High-Pace Offense in Preseason Statement WIN” · listen ↗

• Podcast Locked On Pelicans · 8 points · Oct 16
  • ESPN (reported): ESPN's article on the 10 people who will define the NBA season leads with Zion Williamson, and its assessment is 'now or never'. at 14:22
  • Zion Williamson played 62 games last season, his second-highest total ever. That included 52 of 53 games from December 14 through April 5, a span in which the Pelicans went 21-31. at 14:59
  • Host says Zion is not the reason for the losses; he blames the roster construction around him. He adds that the data suggests keeping Zion healthy is not, by itself, the answer. at 15:43
  • Host says Zion's approach to the offseason seems to have changed. He hedges that Zion is 'maybe' committed for the first time to expanding his game offensively. at 18:34
  • Zion Williamson (reported): Zion acknowledged to the host, in answer to his question, that his career has not unfolded the way he envisioned or wants. at 18:51
  • Host observed that Zion looked good on defense in a recent game against the Dallas Mavericks. at 19:48
  • Host's view: Mosley's team looks like it is struggling to figure out the offense, with Derik Queen an ill-fitting piece next to Zion. at 20:38
  • NBA.com GM survey (reported): Fears was the only Pelican recognized in the survey: he tied a player heard as Amen Thompson for fourth in fastest player with the ball. Zion got no recognition anywhere. name not confirmed at 26:49

  “NBA GM Survey IGNORES New Orleans Pelicans—Can Zion Williamson CHANGE Their Fate?” · listen ↗

• Podcast Locked On Pelicans · 11 points · Oct 15
  • Host prediction: Jeremiah Fears's three-point shot will lock him into the starting lineup alongside Zion, where he needs to be a catch-and-shoot spacer. at 4:46
  • The host's tentative read of the starting lineup Mosley wants: Zion Williamson, Derik Queen, Trey Murphy, Herbert Jones and Jordan Poole. at 13:28
  • The unit of Zion, Derik Queen, Poole, Murphy and Jeremiah Fears, followed by Herbert Jones checking in, looked pretty decent. at 14:10
  • The starters showed a defensive intensity that had been missing throughout preseason. Zion moved his feet constantly and Poole fought through screens. at 14:46
  • The host cautions that the defense is a one-game sample and wants to see Friday's game and the regular season. He notes Zion is coming off a subpar defensive year. at 15:19
  • Zion Williamson went 5-of-5 for 10 points with 1 assist and 0 rebounds, missed all four free throws, and had the team's best plus-minus. at 17:42
  • Host view: Zion doesn't feel like $45 million worth of impact. The host blames coaching and roster construction (spacing, clunky lineups, Zion parked in the corner), not Zion. at 17:55
  • Six players took more field-goal attempts than Derik Queen's usage rate was almost double Zion's, and Bennedict Mathurin and Saddiq Bey also had higher usage than Zion. at 18:34
  • The host thinks the team is still figuring out how to maximize Zion and calls this the part that will make or break the season. at 21:38
  • The host is still not sold on the Derik Queen and Zion pairing; he says it is still clunky. at 15:51
  • The host wants Karlo Matkovic to play more with Zion and get significant minutes in meaningful lineups in the final preseason game. He floats Matkovic as a possible answer to the clunky Queen-Zion fit. at 25:46

  “SHOCKWAVE: Jeremiah Fears' Preseason LEAP Could TRANSFORM Pelicans Trajectory” · listen ↗

• Story CBS Sports · Article · Oct 14

  Top 50 NBA trade candidates for 2026-27 season: Anthony Davis, Zion Williamson and more names to watch

  source ↗

• Podcast Locked On Pelicans · 2 points · Oct 14
  • Jake Madison: The host says Joe Dumars has been very committed to building a winner around Zion Williamson rather than resetting through the draft. at 6:18
  • Jake Madison: The host criticizes a recent 'stay over there' comment toward fans by Derik Queen, saying it seemed very incorrect to him. He also recalls Zion Williamson's similar comment at media day a year ago, a season the team won 26 games. at 21:43

  “Gayle Benson Sends STRONG Message That Reveals the Pelicans' Win-NOW Plan” · listen ↗

• Podcast Locked On Pelicans host · Analysis · Oct 13

  The host suggests Derik Queen can be an offensive hub in the post with the bench group, while with Zion Williamson he is asked to shoot threes and space the floor.

  “SECOND UNIT MAGIC: Pelicans’ Bennedict Mathurin & Jordan Poole SPARK Major Bench ADVANTAGE” at 8:30 · listen ↗

• Podcast Zion Williamson (quoted), via Locked On Pelicans · Quote · Oct 12

  At 2025 media day, Zion Williamson told critics they "got to stay over there" once the team gets into a certain position.

  “Derik Queen's DELETED Tweet Reveals a BIG Problem With the Pelicans” at 5:21 · listen ↗

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