Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash
By Andrew Snyder, Staff Writer
With Zion Williamson making his debut as an NBA player this January, fans have finally gotten the initiation of one of the most gifted players they’ve seen in years.
With more hype than any player in recent memory, Williamson is quickly burdened with projections that he will become an All-NBA talent for years to come. On top of his athletic ability, the former Duke standout is expanding his personal brand off the court, taking after other players, namely Lebron James, that have become much more than athletes.
His on-the-court successes as well as his off-court actions all considered, what kind of total impact can we expect from Williamson?
Thus far, Williamson has flashed his tantalizing athleticism, most notably in the form of lobs from New Orleans Pelicans point guard Lonzo Ball. His physical abilities have translated into other areas, both in rebounding and speed, which has helped his learning curve immensely. Williamson is averaging nearly 20 points per game thus far, along with eight rebounds and a shooting percentage of about 60%.
Given the level he’s already performed at, Williamson should continue to grow into the All-Star player everyone thought he’d be, but comparisons to James should be put on hold until more is seen from the young lefty. Many forget that Williamson is still only 20 years old, and that his peak will occur long from now, so expectations of god-like ability are unfair.
As crazy as it may be, he is currently not even the most accomplished player in his rookie class, with Ja Morant running away with Rookie of the Year honors.
Aside from early on-the-court achievements, Williamson has begun to build his brand, signing with Jordan Brand for a reported five years in which he will receive $75 million. Signing with Jordan signifies many things, one of which is the idea that he will not be collaborating with Lebron or Giannis Antetokounmpo, the two captains of the All-Star game this season.
It also says that Williamson wants to develop a relationship with Michael Jordan and become the face of a brand that is emerging in the shoe game, perhaps a ‘new school’ decision.
In addition to becoming a part of Jordan Brand, Williamson has also partnered with the likes of PepsiCo, where he has already been featured on their Mountain Dew brand, as well as NBA 2K.
Dipping into the endorsement world increases Williamson’s influence, putting his hype to individual brands. If he is in fact attempting to have Lebron-like power in the media and around the league, it starts with growing as a player and as a businessman, and Williamson seems to be doing a good job of both.
It’s important to remember that Williamson is still a kid being thrown into the spotlight. He seems to be welcoming the hype train, but it’ll be interesting to see how he grows from his future failures in the NBA, how long he remains a Pelican, who he’ll team up with in the future, what his signature shoe will look like, among another million questions circling Williamson. However, he seems up for the task.