Zion Williamson's Dunks in Return Have Fans Hyped as Pelicans Beat Grizzlies
Scott Polacek@@ScottPolacek
Featured Columnist IVOctober 26, 2023
Welcome back to the air, Zion Williamson.
The New Orleans Pelicans star took the court for his first regular-season game since Jan. 2 and helped lead his team to a 111-104 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies. He finished with 23 points, seven rebounds and three assists behind 9-of-17 shooting from the field, but it was multiple monster dunks that stood out.
He posterized reigning Defensive Player of the Year Jaren Jackson Jr. and also threw down an alley-oop, which drew plenty of reaction from social media:
That Williamson was flying around was a welcome sign, as his health has been a major storyline since he entered the league. He played just 29 games last season and 24 games as a rookie in 2019-20, but Wednesday was a reminder of his incredible ceiling.
It wasn't a one-man show, as CJ McCollum finished with 24 points and six assists; Brandon Ingram did a little bit of everything with 19 points, seven rebounds, six assists and two steals; and Jonas Valančiūnas notched a double-double.
That is plenty of talent on the roster, and the Pelicans could be a legitimate contender with a healthy Williamson.
The opening win was an ideal start, and he will look to keep things rolling with a game against the New York Knicks on Saturday.
