Zion Williamson's mother urged him to watch films of Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson

New Orleans Pelicans rookie Zion Williamson has impressed in the limited time he has played for the Pelicans over the course of the 2019-20 season. Zion Williamson was injured during the first half of the season but made a strong impact in the second half after making his NBA debut on January 22, 2020, in a 121–117 loss to the San Antonio Spurs. Zion Williamson played 18 minutes and finished with 22 points and 7 rebounds, scoring 17 consecutive points in 3:08 minutes during the fourth quarter. Zion Williamson became the first teenager in NBA history to score 20+ points in 10 consecutive games earlier this year.

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Zion Williamson is following Michael Jordan's footsteps

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Zion Williamson's mother urged son to watch films of Magic Johnson, Larry Bird and Michael Jordan

In an interview with TNT’s Ernie Johnson, Pelicans star Zion Williamson revealed how his mother asked him to watch films of Magic Johnson, Larry Bird and Michael Jordan for inspiration. The ACC Rookie of the Year was quoted as saying "When I started watching Mike, it was just, even though I wasn't alive when he was doing those things, it just captured me. Everything he did was just incredible. His highlights are like, 'Man, somebody was doing all that?' And the way he flew through the air, dunked on pretty much anybody, his midrange shot, his playmaking, his defensive ability -- everything he brought to the table. And the one thing he said that really stands out to me is, he plays like somebody's watching him for the first time, and he doesn't want to disappoint."

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