Zion Williamson’s star status will only get bigger. The New Orleans Pelicans forward will only continue to grow as a player.
But Williamson is also getting bigger, literally. He’s growing, literally.
Pelicans vice president David Griffin discussed the 2019 No. 1 overall pick in a conversation with The Athletic’s Jeff Duncan. They chatted about what Williamson’s playing weight might be during his rookie season in the NBA after he played at 6-foot-7 and 285 pounds in college at Duke.
“Yeah, I don’t know that we can determine a weight yet. Zion’s still growing. One of the things that’s lost in this whole process is that, like Jaxson Hayes, Zion is still getting taller. We’re not exactly sure what he’ll look like in the end. So a playing weight is not what you look for. What you look for is to be in top condition, to have the kind of core strength and stability that you need to control all of the incredible torque that his athleticism can generate…. So what you have to do with him is do everything you can from a core and stability standpoint to give him more ability to control what he already has in terms of strength and speed.”
It’s a daily reminder that athletes are human. Williamson, 19, may hit another late growth spurt, which could impact his role on the court. Williamson, known as a physical marvel, may only turn into an even bigger freak of nature. For so many reasons, he’s only going to get harder to guard.
