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Andrew LopezESPN
When Zion Williamson told reporters he had no restrictions this season, he was happy. The smile on his face was bright and his joy shone through in the video call last week.
After beating the New Orleans Pelicans’ Miami Heat 114-92 on Monday night, it was clear that any obstacles were a thing of the past.
Williamson, who handled what the team called “explosion controls” last season, said he was “very happy to be out of the extended extensions”. “It was so much fun to enjoy it again.”
Williamson played 33 minutes, 13 seconds against the Heat, the third most minutes he has ever played in an NBA game – prematurely or otherwise.
“It’s a different feeling. I can not even lie,” Williamson said. “It’s definitely a different feeling. I think I was able to finish a game only four, three times last year. But it’s a big feeling. When the clock struck zero, I almost said ‘Aha, it’s been a while.”
Williamson actually finished 11 of 24 games last season, but the Pelicans won only three of the 11 games he finished so forgive him if his memory is a little sluggish. However, he rarely played for long. That turned out to be Monday. According to ESPN figures and information, he played 10:19 in the first quarter more than in any first quarter last season. In fact, he played at least 10:19 in a total of three-quarter matches last season.
Williamson looked like his old self on the court when he finished with 26 points and 11 rebounds. He only got two doubles-doubles in 24 regular season games last season (he had a match early last year), and his 11 restarts would have boosted his career.
Pelicans coach Stan von Kundi said he was inspired by Williamson’s effort on the defensive glass, where he unleashed eight reps – which would have been career-high.
“He didn’t really do much in practice, to be honest, it wasn’t a strength last year,” Van Kundi said. “It’s good for him to get the ball back as he did at the defensive end.”
Van Kundy was also impressed with Williamson’s free throw shooting, which went from 10 to 11 in a row. The only time Williamson, a 64% free-throw shooter last season, was shot over 90% was when he hit the only attempt against Utah in the bubble and dropped two attempts against Cleveland on 28 February.
“Free throwing, I think I’m going to cheat a lot,” Williamson said. “It’s free money. I have to do it.”
Williamson worked with Pelicans assistant coach Fred Vinson in this office, who is credited with helping with the shot improvements of Lonzo Paul and Brandon Ingram.
“Me and coach Vinson do a lot of practice every day, working on free throwing, jumper, everything related to my shot,” Williamson said. “Until now it was very helpful.”
Williamson was seated in the 26th minute when he was checked out after the third quarter, but came back to play Van Cunningham’s final 6:38, saying he wanted to get his starters 30 minutes earlier because they only had two advance games.
Williamson has said how difficult it was to play under restrictions last season. He said it was hard to get a rhythm, so I felt it was right to mark 33 minutes on Monday.
“That’s why I play basketball,” Williamson said, “playing a lot of minutes and helping my team win.”