Zion Williamson is no longer being talked about like a future face of the league. ESPN’s latest NBA Rank makes that plain, slotting the New Orleans Pelicans forward at No. 51 for the 2026-27 season - one place outside the top 50 and one spot below the part of the list set to be released Wednesday.
That’s a jarring slide for a former No. 1 overall pick who once carried real MVP expectations. Williamson did climb from No. 61 a year ago, but the modest rise does little to change the larger picture: he is being measured now against dependable starters and useful rotation pieces, not the kind of stars who were once expected to take over the league.
The ranking is based on projected production for the 2026-27 regular season, and it reflects just how much the conversation around Williamson has shifted.
He did manage to stay on the floor more often last season, appearing in 62 games - the second-highest total of his seven-year career. For New Orleans, that should have been a positive step after years of injuries, including the entire 2021-22 season missed. But durability alone did not translate into the dominant version of Williamson the Pelicans have been waiting for.
His 21 points per game were the lowest scoring average of his career, and his usage rate fell to a career low as the Pelicans tried to carve out a workable offensive role for him. Even so, Williamson was still a force once he got downhill. He averaged 15.4 paint points per game, the best mark in the NBA among players who appeared in at least 40 games.
That’s the familiar Zion story in a nutshell: devastating near the rim, far less convincing everywhere else. He still doesn’t stretch the floor in a way that keeps defenders honest, and his defensive shortcomings continue to complicate things for a Pelicans team that needs more consistent two-way production.
The burst is still there. The overall impact just isn’t overwhelming enough to hide the holes.
ESPN projected Williamson to post 22.8 points, 6.1 rebounds and 4.3 assists this season. Those numbers would still look strong on most nights, but they don’t separate him the way they once might have. Trey Murphy III, his teammate in New Orleans, came in at No. 57, which puts the two Pelicans forwards just six spots apart despite the massive gap in expectations they brought into the league.
Murphy has grown into a valuable modern wing because he can shoot, defend and fit in without dominating the ball. Williamson, by contrast, needs the offense built around his rim pressure. That contrast matters, and it may end up shaping how New Orleans constructs the roster around him.
There’s still no shortage of talent here. Williamson remains one of the league’s most recognizable players, and the combination of power, speed and touch he brings is still rare. He also has time to change the conversation.
If he can put together a healthy season, raise his scoring, defend better and help push New Orleans into the playoffs, his standing will look a lot different next year. For now, though, the question is far less grand than it used to be.
It’s not about whether Zion Williamson can become the NBA’s best player. It’s whether he can work his way back into the top 50.
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