Zion Williamson delivered another strong performance as the New Orleans Pelicans secured a hard-fought 127-120 win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday. The former No. 1 overall pick finished with 22 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds, marking his second triple-double in two weeks.
With the victory, the Pelicans continued their push in the Western Conference standings.
When asked if this was the most complete basketball he has played in his career, Williamson took a measured approach.
"I don't know if that is really up for me to decide," he said postgame, according to Pelicans Film Room. "I will say, though, that this is the best I've felt offensively and defensively."
"I dont know if that is really up for me to decide. I will say though that this is the best I've felt offensively and defensively"
-- Zion Williamson on if he is playing the most complete basketball of his career so far pic.twitter.com/WL6S28AElF
— Pelicans Film Room (@PelsFilmRoom) March 12, 2025
His confident self-assessment came in response to growing external scrutiny. Despite Williamson's growing impact, his production still wasn't enough to impress Hall of Famer Shaquille O'Neal, who had blunt words for the rising star.
The four-time NBA champion dismissed Williamson's numbers, saying, "You giving him props for that? I need more. Anybody can get 20 points now. That's not good enough. I'm not impressed by that. If they're (Pelicans) in third or fourth place and you got those numbers, I'm impressed. You need to do more, Zion, I love you."
Williamson's triple-double was only the second of his career, yet it came in a crucial win against one of the league's hottest teams. While some see a star finding his stride, others-like Shaq-expect more. Whether Zion will meet those sky-high expectations remains to be seen, but his recent performances suggest he is ready to embrace the challenge.
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This story was originally published March 12, 2025 at 7:11 AM.