Zion Williamson Remains Impressive After Major Weight Loss in Final Preseason Game

The big story this offseason was Williamson's weight loss, and he has looked more nimble in these last few preseason games.

One play involved the forward sprinting down the court and throwing a pin-perfect lob to his teammate, Trey Murphy III.

The former first overall pick finished with five rebounds and six assists, along with his scoring output. The signs are positive, as stats like that show he's putting himself everywhere on the court. It also helps the Pelicans be in a position to succeed.

Another play by Williamson saw a fast break dunk, where he threw down a windmill-style jam. He's always been considered hyper-athletic, but to see him out there playing well and feeling good about it says enough.

While the Pelicans did lose this game, it is only an exhibition match that doesn't feature either team's starters playing for 30-plus minutes.

The idea is that they have the opportunity to gel with each other before the regular season journey begins, which, based on Williamson's performance (specifically noting the assists), is going well.

With additions of Jordan Poole — who finished with a team-high 21 points — and Kevon Looney, who's currently out due to injury, the team has more veteran leadership. The Pelicans aren't necessarily a young team anymore, but they do have rising stars as well to keep an eye on.

If given the right time and opportunity to grow, this Pelicans squad, led by Williamson, could do some damage in the Western Conference. Though it is widely considered to be a gauntlet, their youth, combined with the veteran championship experience and star power in Williamson, could yield a lethal roster.

The most notable part about preseason is that we haven't seen Williamson post weight loss in this effort in a regular season game yet.

As we head into the opening parts of the season, where he's going to give his team the best chance to get a good start, he'll be sure to have some highlights and prove why he went first overall in the 2019 NBA Draft. Until then, it's a good sign from this game against the Magic.

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