Zion #23 in top NBA Player Rankings:ESPN

Wonder how big a knock they gave Curry, Lillard, Young, Harden, Irving for their shite defense….

I hate the way these “analysts” grade on such a biased curve.


And before anyone tries to make excuses like “well you can hide shite defensive guards by surrounding them with defenders.” Ok, you could do the same fricking thing with Zion, so that logic doesn’t work.

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To me, it is insane to have a guy who is 21 years old who averaged 27 points on 60+% shooting outside the top 20.

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To be fair, that 60+% shooting are mostly layups and dunks. Hell, I can put forth an argument that his shooting percentage should be higher for that reason.

Yes, he could've made a higher percentage... but literally the only people with a FG % than him are guys who shoot even less shots outside of the paint. Zion took WAY more outside shots than anyone ahead of him in FG%.


In fact, the only player in the same FG% ballpark as Zion who attempted more 3's is our new Center Jonas who shot 59% with almost 1 3PA per game.


2021 NBA FG % leaders:
Rudy Gobert 67.5% (5.4/7.8 <5ft [72%]) (0.1/0.5 5-9ft [17.6%]) 0 shots >10ft
Richaun Holmes 63.7% (3.4/4.8 <5ft [72.1%]) (0.9/1.7 5-9ft [50.5%]) (1.4/2.1 10-14ft [66.4%]) (0.2/0.6 15-19ft [38.5%]) less than 0.1 shots per game past 20ft
Robin Lopez 63.3% (2.2/3.2 <5ft [69.7%])(1.4/2.1 5-9ft [61.3%]) (0.1/0.3 10-14ft [38.9%]) (0/0.2 from 15+)
Deandre Ayton 62.6% (4.5/6.2 <5ft [71.8%]) (0.9/1.7 5-9ft [56.1%]) (0.6/1.2 10-14ft [48.8%]) (0.2/0.6 15-19ft [33.3%]) (0/0.3 from 20+ feet)
Montrezl Harrell 62.2% (4.4/6.3 <5ft [70.3%]) (0.6/1.1 5-9ft [52.6%]) (0.4/0.8 10-14ft [44.6%]) (0.1/0.2 15-19ft [29%]) (0/0.2 from 20+ feet)
Jarrett Allen 61.8% (3.9/5.5 <5ft [70.6%]) (0.5/1.2 5-9ft [44%]) (0.1/0.3 10-14ft [33.3%]) (0.1/0.3 15-19ft [33.3%]) (0.0/0.1 from 20-24 feet [22%]) (0.1/0.2 from 3pt [33.3%])
Jakob Poeltl 61.6% (3.1/4.6 <5ft [67.8%]) (0.5/1.1 5-9ft [47%]) (0.2/0.5 10-14ft [43.3%]) (0.0/0.1 15+ feet])
Zion Williamson 61.1% (9.3/14.3 <5ft [65.4%]) (0.8/1.9 5-9ft [41%]) (0.1/0.2 10-14ft [54.5%]) (0.0/0.1 15-24ft [25%]) (0.1/0.4 from 3pt [30.8%])

So Zion shoots by far the worst at the rim of any of these guys, so you are right that his % could be even higher...which should be pretty scary for the league...

And ofc in terms of PPG, none of these guys are in Zions area code. For PPG leaders, Giannis is the only one even close to Zion in terms of FG%.

None of those other players play at the volume or usage, or command defensive bodies the way Zion does.

That should be noted.

He’s putting up 3rd option center percentages with guard like usage as our number one offensive player.

It really is insane, and to put that guy at 23 is, I’m sorry, fricking retarded

This is yet another reason that we have to win. People look at our record last year and say, "well, Zion can't be that good, or the Pelicans would've won more games."

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Fact is, if Zion was a guard and putting up the same numbers he would be considered not just top 20, but top 10.

Only two players last season had a better true shooting percentage on greater than 25% usage than Zion, Steph Curry and Kevin Durant.

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Fact is Zion will be considered as top 10 player if he does PO with the Pels.

Curry has 3 rings and changed the way of thinking about 3-point shooting

Durant even if he did a cupcake move at Warriors, he's the best 3 level scorer of the league, even maybe of the history...
The NBA and the people are also looking at the collective careers and the winners.

Look at Giannis for example. The people said his playstyle wouldn't allow him to win a ring (including me).
He's considered as best player of the league since his ring

He's a thirty in a generation talent!