5 brightest moments in Zion Williamson’s NBA career, ranked

It wasn’t long ago when everyone was excited for Zion Williamson to make an impact in the NBA. After all, his unique combination of size, strength, and athleticism made him a dominant force in the amateur ranks. In fact, it was those very assets that allowed him to turn heads at Duke University. As a result, it wasn’t surprising that the New Orleans Pelicans selected him as the first overall pick, hoping for him to be the face of the franchise in the years to come, especially to fill the void of Anthony Davis.

But fast forward to today, Williamson has yet to live up to expectations, and time is running out. The top overall pick of the 2019 NBA Draft has failed to be available when the team needed him to be. Setback by injuries and off-court issues, doubts and criticisms have showered Williamson as of late. On the bright side, the Pelicans star is still a force to be reckoned with when healthy. Check out the gallery to see the five brightest moments of Williamson’s career, ranked.

5. First All-Star Game appearance

After a strong rookie season, Williamson quickly proved to everyone that he was All-Star worthy. In the 2020-21 season, the 6-foot-6 power forward averaged 27.0 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per outing. He was clearly the best player in New Orleans. Naturally, Williamson earned his first All-Star Game appearance in 2021, which has been one of the highlights of his career.

In his first All-Star Game appearance, the burly big man scored 10 points in 14 minutes of action for Team Durant, who suffered a 150-170 loss to Team LeBron. Since then, Williamson has yet to return to the All-Star Game. However, he was selected in 2023, but couldn’t play due to a hamstring injury.

4. Game-winner vs. San Antonio Spurs

There’s no doubt that Williamson is the go-to man for the Pelicans whenever he’s healthy. And when he’s fit to play, the New Orleans star is easily one of the best power forwards in the NBA. In the 2023-24 season, Williamson managed to play a total of 70 games. One of his best games that year proved that he was a generational talent, whenever he stays on the court.

In a game against the San Antonio Spurs, Williamson posted 33 points, eight rebounds, and four assists. He was also a +15. But more importantly, he also nailed the game-winning basket to bring home the 114-113 victory. Williamson finished the night shooting 12-of-21 from the field overall.

3. 3rd fastest active player to reach 5,000 points

Williamson only played 30 games in the 2024-25 season. However, that was enough for him to make some history. In a 111-103 loss against the Dallas Mavericks, the Pelicans’ star was a silver lining for the team. He tallied 29 points, seven rebounds, and three assists while shooting an efficient 11-of-15 from the field overall.

But more importantly, it was discovered that Williamson became the third fastest, among active players, to reach 5,000 career points. It was certainly an impressive milestone for him, given how many injuries have hampered his career. Only two other players had reached the mark faster, which are Los Angeles Lakers stars LeBron James and Luka Doncic, who only needed 197 and 194 games, respectively.

2. First two career triple-doubles in two weeks

Speaking of the 2024-25 season, despite limited action from Williamson, he did maximize his time on the court. The former first overall pick played with a sense of motivation in the latter stretch of the regular season. Although New Orleans was clearly finishing the year with a losing record, Williamson was a sight to behold. In fact, he was even able to register his first two career triple-doubles.

He earned his first career triple-double in a 125-108 loss against the Phoenix Suns. Williamson posted 27 points, 10 rebounds, and 11 assists, while being a +11. The former All-Rookie First Team player also shot efficiently by going 13-of-17 from the field. Shortly after, Williamson nabbed his second triple-double in a 127-120 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers. He tallied 22 points, 10 rebounds, and 12 assists, while going 6-of-6 from the free throw line.

1. Career-high 43 points

In the midst of his second All-Star season, Williamson only played a disappointing 29 games. But before falling to injury, he was easily a difference maker for the Pelicans. He averaged a solid stat line of 26.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per outing. But among his performances, none of which were bigger than his showing against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Williamson scored a career-high 43 points, while going 14-of-21 from the field and 14-of-19 from the charity stripe. He also added three rebounds and five assists to propel the Pelicans to a win over the Timberwolves, 119-118. It’s worth noting that the Pelicans star was also responsible for converting the game-winning free throw to seal the game.

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