Zion Williamson says he was 'decent' in his return

Zion Williamson made his much-anticipated return to the NBA last night. After missing all last season, Williamson led New Orleans to a 130-108 win for the Pelicans over the Brooklyn Nets. It was an exciting moment for him and the franchise since he hadn’t played since May 4th, 2021. Still, he wasn’t as enthused with his performance as you would expect.

Williamson spoke after the win about his performance and wouldn’t give himself any better than the ‘decent’. He says he still sees plenty of potential growth for himself and with his teammates before he’s ready to pat himself on the back.

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“It was a decent starting performance…There’s a lot of room for improvement,” said Williamson. “I’m still learning my teammates (and) now we get real, in-game reps. I’m just excited to grow.”

He may not have given himself credit but, considering how much time he has missed as of late, this was an impressive performance for the former No. 1 pick. Williamson’s opener saw him put up 25 points, nine rebounds, and four steals on 50% shooting from the field. He and Jonas Valanciunas dominated the Net’s front line throughout the game. It was their work in the pain that helped solidify the 22-point victory.

Williamson will undoubtedly improve as he continues to get his legs back under him. Still, Williamson’s modest response doesn’t effectively indicate how well he played. He looked just like the All-Star that he was when we last saw him in the NBA. Bringing a healthy Williamson back into the fold alongside Brandon Ingram, CJ McCollum, and their young core, brings a new level of expectations to the franchise. If this is the baseline for the Pelican’s superstar to start the season, they should be expecting big things in New Orleans.