Zion Williamson is the unquestioned star of the New Orleans Pelicans. The fifth-year forward heads into this season with a ton of weight on his shoulders. His running mate, Brandon Ingram, is mired in contract disputes with the team, causing many to speculate if Ingram’s days in New Orleans are numbered. Williamson needs to be one of the upper-echelon players in the league and HoopsHype predicts he will be this season.

Frank Urbina and Raul Barrigon rank Williamson No. 22 on their Top 100 NBA players heading into the 2024-205 season.

“Williamson finally having an All-NBA season will depend on his health, as the South Carolina native hasn’t had the best injury luck in his career, missing all of 2021-22 due to a foot injury and then only playing in 29 games in 2022-23. However, the former Duke Blue Devil did play in 70 regular-season games last season, and the weight loss should continue to help him stay healthy going forward, too.”

The two-time All-Star is in the best shape of his NBA career, already down to his college playing weight and looking to lose more before the season starts. Williamson is also coming off the healthiest season of his NBA career.

The Pelicans star averaged 22.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, and five assists in 70 regular season games. Both the assists and games played were a career-high for Williamson. His last time on the court, the Duke standout scored 40 points, grabbed 11 rebounds, and dished five assists against the Los Angeles Lakers in the Play-In Tournament.

Unfortunately for him and the Pelicans, Williamson injured his hamstring in the fourth quarter of the game, causing him to miss the final minutes and the entire playoffs. New Orleans was swept in the first round by the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Pelicans forward has yet to play in a playoff game in his career.

With the Ingram drama surrounding the team and the Pelicans’ lack of size in the interior, Williamson must stay healthy for New Orleans to compete in the Western Conference. The team lost Jonas Valanciunas, Larry Nance, Jr., and Cody Zeller this summer, leaving them thin up front. Williamson played less than ten percent of his minutes at center last season, but expect those numbers to rise this year.

New Orleans acquired Dejounte Murray to add a playmaking dynamic to the team that they sorely lacked in the backcourt. How Williamson and Murray mesh on the court will be important for the future of this team, especially if Ingram is traded this season. Williamson is the cornerstone of this franchise and he must prove it on the court for New Orleans to win big.