New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson has battled injuries for much of his career in the league. When he's on the court, he's the unquestioned best player on the Pelicans, but those moments of health have been a rarity. Still, Williamson finds ways to impact the game with his presence, and lately, it's been with his defense.
The former No. 1 overall pick isn't considered a defensive stopper, but he possesses the speed and athleticism to be a disruptor. This year, Williamson has proven to be that after continuing an impressive streak in which the two-time all-star has at least a steal or block in 45 straight games, passing former teammate Dyson Daniels, who had 44.
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— Pelicans Film Room (@PelsFilmRoom) March 7, 2025
Williamson returned from a hamstring injury in January that sidelined him for 27 straight games, and he's dominated in his return. The former Duke standout is averaging career-highs in rebounds, assists, blocks, and steals this season. He continues scoring at a highly proficient clip, averaging over 24 points per game in less than 30 minutes a contest.
Zion has worked hard on his conditioning, which has been a focus of many of his detractors over the years. Williamson is reportedly in the best shape of his career at nearly 260 pounds, which is below his playing weight in college. Now, staying healthy for the remainder of the year is the goal of himself and the Pelicans.
Zion doing his best GTA impression, Hawk with the finish pic.twitter.com/tG1iBUi2oZ
— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) March 7, 2025
The organization is monitoring his minutes and not allowing their star to play in back-to-back games. New Orleans has long been out of playoff contention, so being cautious with him with an eye for the future makes the most sense for the rest of the season.
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