New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson was the top overall pick in the 2019 draft. The 23-year-old forward has been named to two NBA All-Star teams despite being plagued by injuries for much of his professional basketball career.
Williamson was mostly healthy during the 2020-21 season, playing in 61 games. He averaged 27 points and 7.2 rebounds per game. He earned All-Star honors for his performance that season. He has been a mainstay this season, appearing in 51 of the Pelicans’ games so far.
Williamson was not named an All-Star this season despite averaging 22.1 points and 5.1 assists. The NBA recently introduced rules requiring players to play a minimum number of games to be eligible for major awards such as MVP. However, Zion appears to have his sights set on making the All-Star team for the third time in his career.
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New Orleans Pelicans No. 1 Zion Williamson prepares to shoot a free throw during a game against the Philadelphia 76ers on January 2, 2023 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. There is. (Jesse D. Garabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)
Williams has vowed to participate in the NBA Slam Dunk competition only if he is selected as an All-Star.
“I’ve got to do my part and get to the All-Star Game. If I get to the All-Star Game, I’ll be in the dunk contest,” he said. “But if it’s not, I’m not doing it.”
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The overall appeal of the dunk contest has diminished significantly in recent years as NBA stars have declined to participate in the competition. But Williamson’s incidental involvement is the latest sign that star players’ interest in the sport may be growing.
New Orleans Pelicans No. 1 Zion Williamson plays against the Los Angeles Lakers during the second half of the West Division semifinal of the first NBA in-season tournament at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on December 7, 2023. drive. The Lakers defeated the Pelicans 133-89. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown participated in this year’s dunk contest, but in the end G League player Mac McClain won for the second consecutive year.
Williamson remains one of the league’s most explosive above-the-rim athletes. He regularly throws down highlight-reel-worthy dunks during Pelicans games.
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Before Brown participated in last month’s contest, the last time an All-Star participated in the dunk contest was DeAndre Jordan’s performance in 2017.
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