Zaon Williamson’s 5 Greatest NBA Career Moments, Ranked

It wasn’t long ago when everyone was excited for Zion Williamson to make an impact in the NBA. Ultimately, his unique combination of size, strength and athleticism made him a dominant force in the amateur ranks. In fact, it was those assets that allowed him to turn heads at Duke University. As a result, it was not surprising that it was New Orleans Pelicans selected him as the first overall pick, hoping that he would be the face of the franchise for 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 in the 2019 NBA Draft was not available when the team needed him. Failure due to injuries and problems off the field, doubt and criticism have showered Williamson 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 greatest 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 worthy of an All-Star. In 2020-21, the 6-foot-6 forward averaged 27.0 points, 7.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists per outing. He was clearly New Orleans’ best player. Of course, Williamson made his first All-Star appearance in 2021, which was one of the highlights of his career.

In his first All-Star appearance, the hulking big man scored 10 points in 14 minutes of action for Durant’s team, which suffered a 150-170 loss to LeBron. Since then, Williamson has yet to return to the All-Star Game. However, he was selected in 2023, but was unable to play due to a hamstring injury.

4. Game winner against the San Antonio Spurs

There’s no doubt that Williamson is the best man for the Pelicans whenever he’s healthy. And when he’s fit to play, the New Orleans star is easily one of them the best 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 is a generational talent, whenever he stays on the field.

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

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

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

But more importantly, it was revealed that Williamson had become third fastestamong active players, to reach 5,000 career points. It was certainly an impressive milestone for him, considering how many injuries have hampered his career. Only two other players reached the goal faster, namely Los Angeles Lakers stars LeBron James and Luka Doncic, who only needed 197 and 194 games, respectively.

2. First two triple-doubles of his career in two weeks

Speaking of the 2024-25 season, despite Williamson’s limited action, he made the most of his time on the court. The former No. 1 overall pick played with a sense of motivation in the second half 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 even managed to register his first two career triple-doubles.

He earned his first career triple-double in a 125-108 loss to the Phoenix Suns. Williamson scored 27 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists, with a +11. The former first-team All-Rookie player also shot efficiently, going 13-of-17 from the field. Soon after, Williamson recorded his second triple-double in a 127-120 win over the Los Angeles Clippers. He scored 22 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists, while he was 6 of 6 from the free throw line.

1. Career high 43 points

In the midst of his second All-Star season, Williamson played in just 29 disappointing games. But before he got hurt, he was easily a difference maker for the Pelicans. He averaged a solid 26.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 4.6 assists per outing. But among his performances, none were bigger than his performance against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Williamson scored a game-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 lead the Pelicans to a 119-118 victory over the Timberwolves. It’s worth noting that the Pelicans star was also responsible for converting the game-winning free throw to seal the game.