Zion Williamson is trying to add a new wrinkle to his game as the NBA season approaches, and the early signs are hard to miss. The Pelicans star has built his reputation on power, burst and relentless pressure at the rim, but according to Marc Stein, Williamson is working to bring more 3-pointers into his arsenal.
In the latest edition of The Stein Line, Stein wrote that he picked up on that shift while the Pelicans were in Dallas on Wednesday night. “Something else I gleaned when the Pelicans visited Dallas on Wednesday night: Zion Williamson wants to incorporate more of the 3-ball into his game.
Williamson took only four 3s last season - total. But I watched him work on it pregame Wednesday and then launch four (albeit without a make) in the Pelicans' preseason finale against Washington.”
That’s a notable change for a player who has barely lived beyond the arc in his career. Williamson has attempted 102 three-pointers overall, making 33 of them for a 32% success rate. His busiest season from deep came in 2020-2021, when he hit 10 of 34 attempts, good for 29.4%.
The bigger picture, though, is about where this goes for Williamson and the Pelicans. Stein pointed to the postseason as the real target, writing, “What the 26-year-old really wants, of course, is a ticket to the postseason. Entering his eighth season, Williamson is one of only two No. 1 picks in modern NBA history (alongside Anthony Bennett) with at least two seasons of NBA experience to have never appeared in a playoff game.”
If Williamson can make that outside shot a real part of his game, it could change the way defenses have to guard him. Last season, he averaged 21 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 1 steal while shooting 60% from the field. A more reliable 3-point threat would only add to that production and give New Orleans a stronger offensive ceiling in its push for playoff success this season.
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