• Zion.129 kilos of weight and millions of dollars at stake
  • Draft.The last great phenomenon of the NBA

The Zion Williamson phenomenon finally has its starting point, on January 22, 2020 as day 1 of one of the most desired players in years. Because maybe since LeBron James in 2003 a debut like this was not expected. And not only because of the dimension of its protagonist, but also because of what he was waiting for. Before the Spurs, as a starter in the expectant and full Smoothie King Center of New Orleans, the No. 1 draft played its first minutes in the NBA.

Its unusual figure of almost 130 kilos in just two meters high caused the expected impact. Pure speed and power in a pivot wing of a physique as explosive as in doubt. He contributed 22 points and seven rebounds in just 18 minutes of play in the defeat of the Pelicans against the Spurs (117-121) and veteran LaMarcus Aldridge (32 points and 14 rebounds) was his first dance partner as a perfect counterpoint of sobriety.

The first chapter of Zion was written after months of expectation. Because the left-handed boy born in Salisbury (North Carolina), a physicist never seen before, fed the ghosts on the fragility of his knees with the right meniscus injury the day before the start of the regular season, back in October . After the operation, his return was longer than expected, increasing the rumors. "My mother always looks at me and says: 'Nobody said that this would be easy,'" the young man explained the months of adversity. Along the way, the franchise took the opportunity to work on the kinetic chain of its stocky body, to the point of correcting its way of walking, running and falling after the jumps. "I think that these last three months will help me with future injuries. It is something that I have to continue, to have less chance of getting injured," the young man reflected.

It had been decades since a young player did not raise such hopes. Williamson, whose mother, Sharonda, was a sprinter and, subsequently, a physical education teacher, and his father, an American football player, had a spectacular season at the NCAA under Mike Krzyzewski at Duke . Soon a viral phenomenon was made and compared to LeBron James, for his physical dominance, but also for his understanding of the game and versatility. Last summer, he already signed a billionaire contract with Jordan Brand - the same brand that was made a few weeks ago with Luka Doncic - and the four preseason games played with the Pelicans (23.3 points, 6.5 rebounds, 71.7% right ...) corroborated the sparkle of the jewel.

Zion's debut also has collective repercussions, as the Pelicans still have options to qualify for the playoffs. Sunk in the lowest positions in the West, the season of Alvin Gentry was not so disappointing thanks to the impact of another young man, Brandon Ingram (number two of the 2016 draft), arrived from the Lakers in the transfer of Anthony Davis. His explosion (25.6 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.4 assists), along with Williamson's discharge and the strength of other youngsters such as Lonzo Ball, relaunches the possibilities of the New Orleans franchise. "We want his energy, his rebound, his explosiveness. Obviously, it's an offensive threat. I don't see anyone who can compete with him near the hoop," warned Captain Jrue Holiday, the Pelicans franchise player. "We don't put too much pressure on him. He's still 19 years old, he's still a rookie, he has a lot to learn. We're happy to have him back," Ball said, in the line of his coach: "We don't expect him to ride a white horse and save our franchise. "

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