LeBron James vs Zion Williamson debut: Comparing No 1 NBA draft picks' hype and trajectory

On Wednesday night (Thursday morning IST), LeBron James was closing down on Kobe Bryant’s career scoring tally during a hard-fought win over New York Knicks. On same night, New Orleans Pelicans’ much-heralded rookie Zion Williamson was kitting up in red at Smoothie King Center. While LeBron James ended up victorious at Mison Square Garden, Zion Williamson shut down his fat-shaming haters with a stunning 22-point display against San Antonio Spurs.

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Zion Williamson debut: Pelicans rookie's blitzkrieg debut mirrors LeBron James’ debut

In Q4 of game against Spurs, Zion Williamson me six consecutive shots. Four of those were three-pointers that found ir mark as Pelicans fans sprung out of ir seats in awe. With just over eight minutes left in game, Pelicans rookie exemplified his blitzkrieg of a debut with a 27-foot three-pointer that cut Spurs’ le to 99-94. A tidal wave of hype washed over former Duke freshman as Smoothie King Center ainted him as successor to Anthony Davis.

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A throwback to LeBron James’ debut yields a similar story. As an 18-year-old, LeBron James was arguably teenr who drew  most attention in build-up to his NBA debut. 15-time NBA All-Star was Cleveland Cavaliers’ first overall draft pick in 2003 after being touted as a future superstar by media. Those claims were vindicated when LeBron James me his debut against Sacramento Kings. day LeBron James officially went from . 1 overall pick to NBA player, he registered 25 points, six rebounds, nine assists, four steals and two turvers in 42 minutes, eventually ending season with, unsurprisingly, Rookie of Year hours. A blockbuster of a debut, sure, but what was even more impressive was way he handled expectations of whole of Cleveland on his to-be NBA champion shoulders.

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LeBron James n went on to Miami Heat on back of infamous ‘Decision’ saga, before a return to Cleveland. Lakers n came calling following Kobe Bryant’s retirement. LeBron James has played alongside best of NBA, while he has also faced off against best in NBA. In a career that has spanned over 16 seasons in NBA, 15-time NBA All-Star is on course for a run at NBA Championship with former Pelicans star Anthony Davis in tow.

Eerie similarities between LeBron James debut, Zion Williamson debut

Both, Zion Williamson and LeBron James h impressive debuts, taking NBA by storm despite ending on losing side. Such was Zion Williamson’s dominance in just 18 minutes of action at Smoothie King Center that LaMarcus Aldridge’s game-high 32-point display went largely under rar. An argument can be me that this was most impressive debut NBA has seen since LeBron James’ blockbuster display in 2003. Could he go on to have a career that mirrors LeBron James’ meteoric trajectory? Only time will tell. On back of this display, he has certainly introduced himself to New Orleans.

Heavy is he that wears crown, but Zion Williamson could fashion it in his likeness

city of New Orleans has seen a number of sports stars rise to prominence in “Big Easy”. likes of Drew Brees, Chris Paul, Anthony Davis and, more recently, Joe Burrow come to mind. Of se, only Drew Brees remains in Crescent City at moment. Like LeBron James, Drew Brees is approaching twilight of his career. With Cincinnati Bengals holding . 1 pick in NFL Draft, LSU star Joe Burrow is also likely to move out of New Orleans. That leaves Zion Williamson as New Orleans’ biggest draw. Pelicans have seen startlingly low attendance in NBA over years. question is, can Zion Williamson fill seats at Smoothie King Center and turn New Orleans into a basketball town, much like a certain . 1 overall pick in 2003 Draft did for Cleveland?

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