Is Zion Williamson the next big thing for the NBA?

I realize it isn't so unusual for teenagers to rise to the top in the NBA. Time and time again we are shown that a lot of these "kids" are actually ready for prime-time without even paying their dues in college. This was true for Lebron, it was true for Kobe, and a myriad of other phenoms that are now and always will be legends.

Zion did actually play in college - for a single year where he set a number of records that are unheard of for a freshman. When he made himself available for the draft, it really wasn't a huge surprise that he was the number 1 draft pick for the New Orleans Pelicans.

Zion hasn't been getting the media attention that Kobe and Lebron got when they first got called up, but I think that is about to change. The 19-year old has been averaging more than 20 points a game and just over 7 rebounds. He also goes toe-to-toe with veterans and in many situations makes them look like the new kid in town rather than himself.

At 6 foot 6 he isn't even the tallest guy on the court in most games but he weighs in at 285 pounds yet moves with a quickness the likes of which you simply cannot expect out of someone this huge. Previous coaches have called him "a freak of nature" and "something that only happens a couple of times in every generation."

The thing that makes him so special is that someone that is nearly 300 lbs honestly shouldn't be able to move as fast as he does. In a clinch, he can post up against a center that is 5 inches taller than him but because of his weight he can manage the situation. He is also left-handed, not that you could tell because when he is on the court he seems comfortable using either hand at any time. This juggernaut is also no strange to the 3-point line, where he also excels.

It feels as though Zion just emerged on the scene but he has been with the Pelicans the entire season - but he just hasn't been playing until the last month. Due to an early injury we didn't see much of him in 2019 His "official" debut came about just about a month ago where New Orleans actually lost the game but in 18 minutes the 19-year old scored 22 points and 7 rebounds.

This kid has made the NBA exciting to me again and I am certain that anyone down in New Orleans feel the same way. Will he be the next big thing? It's tough to say. I would like to suggest that if big boy can manage to stay healthy that we might be looking at one of the all time greats in the making.