Many of the posters are responding to things you didn't even say or suggest. You didn't say Zion was a bust, you didn't suggest that he was one of the worse NBA drafts, you didn't even say he wasn't an excellent player.
From my experience, the media excitement about Zion was huge. Only LeBron has as much. Even non basketball fans were excited about seeing Zion's first game. The non-sports news was covering him.
He fell radically way short of expectancies. People severely over rated him. You are right about that. Ja Morant certainly outplayed him in their last game.
( His Duke team didn't even make it to the final 4)
He's 3 years in with career average of nearly 25 points per game
Yes he is a very good player but not with the dominance that the masses and the media were expecting.
Then that’s on the people that were expecting something way better than 25 points a game. They weren’t really knowledgeable basketball people. So this is the story of, “people who don’t really know hoops are susceptible to hype and unreasonable expectations”.
Ben Simmons is running a close second. For a first overall draft pick who plays on the perimeter and doesn't know how to execute a jump shot. He's essentially a bench player. The guy was a total creation of the sports media.
Yes he is a very good player but not with the dominance that the masses and the media were expecting.
Then that’s on the people that were expecting something way better than 25 points a game. They weren’t really knowledgeable basketball people. So this is the story of, “people who don’t really know hoops are susceptible to hype and unreasonable expectations”.
25 points per game on 60% shooting is about as good as it gets, especially with the talent Zion has around him.
Then that’s on the people that were expecting something way better than 25 points a game. They weren’t really knowledgeable basketball people. So this is the story of, “people who don’t really know hoops are susceptible to hype and unreasonable expectations”.
25 points per game on 60% shooting is about as good as it gets, especially with the talent Zion has around him.
Talent around him? He's played with Brandon Ingram and some decent centers.
when zion has been healthy hes been electric on the court. incredible efficiency (over 60% shooting....with some games at like 75%!), great passing, decent defense. has nice touch around the rim, moves the ball around.....
theres a reason why even with the question mark of his broken foot he easily got a max contract extension. if he can put together full seasons of what hes shown hes a fantastic player.
when zion has been healthy hes been electric on the court. incredible efficiency (over 60% shooting....with some games at like 75%!), great passing, decent defense. has nice touch around the rim, moves the ball around.....
theres a reason why even with the question mark of his broken foot he easily got a max contract extension. if he can put together full seasons of what hes shown hes a fantastic player.
Yes, 100%.
By the way, I would love to see some of the articles or videos (from 2019) that motivated this thread by suggesting say Zion would far surpass his performance so far (which has been historically great for offensive efficiency). I can’t even believe people were saying that. Who were they? What exactly were they projecting? Thanks in advance.
when zion has been healthy hes been electric on the court. incredible efficiency (over 60% shooting....with some games at like 75%!), great passing, decent defense. has nice touch around the rim, moves the ball around.....
theres a reason why even with the question mark of his broken foot he easily got a max contract extension. if he can put together full seasons of what hes shown hes a fantastic player.
Yes, 100%.
By the way, I would love to see some of the articles or videos (from 2019) that motivated this thread by suggesting say Zion would far surpass his performance so far (which has been historically great for offensive efficiency). I can’t even believe people were saying that. Who were they? What exactly were they projecting? Thanks in advance.
I am sure you find some crazy person out there but the general consensus was he is upside was like Charles Barkley. He might not be that good but he is close enough. A lot of his hype was marketability versus the idea when was going to be the most dominate player in the league.
There are first rounders who's basically never played. Go read Fultz or Bennet's scouting report to see how far off they were. If you are a top 5;draft pick and you aren't a starter/first guy off the bench type player, someone really screwed up.
Yes he is a very good player but not with the dominance that the masses and the media were expecting.
Then that’s on the people that were expecting something way better than 25 points a game. They weren’t really knowledgeable basketball people. So this is the story of, “people who don’t really know hoops are susceptible to hype and unreasonable expectations”.
So you are agreeing with the OP. Zion was wrongly vastly overrated.
Then that’s on the people that were expecting something way better than 25 points a game. They weren’t really knowledgeable basketball people. So this is the story of, “people who don’t really know hoops are susceptible to hype and unreasonable expectations”.
So you are agreeing with the OP. Zion was wrongly vastly overrated.
Nope. I am politely challenging the OP to show evidence of the claim that 25 ppg on 60% FGP is such a massive failure compared to the alleged predictions that were so much bigger than that. And if that actually exists, then it shows the expectations were obviously unrealistic and uninformed. This thread is attacking g a straw man position. Much to some people’s disappointment, Zion turned out to be an all-star level player. So the only thing left is to say, well, he still failed to live up to the hype. Ok, show me the alleged hype. What was it predicting? 35 ppg? A championship for the pelicans every year? A dunk on every possession? it’s obvious that most people on this thread don’t actually watch NBA and couldn’t tell you anything about any players actual skills/tendencies/strengths and weaknesses etc. Just superficial guesses. Like Zion and Okafor and Pervis Ellison and Fultz are similar lol.
So you are agreeing with the OP. Zion was wrongly vastly overrated.
Nope. I am politely challenging the OP to show evidence of the claim that 25 ppg on 60% FGP is such a massive failure compared to the alleged predictions that were so much bigger than that. And if that actually exists, then it shows the expectations were obviously unrealistic and uninformed. This thread is attacking g a straw man position. Much to some people’s disappointment, Zion turned out to be an all-star level player. So the only thing left is to say, well, he still failed to live up to the hype. Ok, show me the alleged hype. What was it predicting? 35 ppg? A championship for the pelicans every year? A dunk on every possession? it’s obvious that most people on this thread don’t actually watch NBA and couldn’t tell you anything about any players actual skills/tendencies/strengths and weaknesses etc. Just superficial guesses. Like Zion and Okafor and Pervis Ellison and Fultz are similar lol.
I'm not sure what the OP meant but people expected Zion to change the trajectory of a team the way Lebron did or other greats have. As someone else pointed out they came in 6th without him but they did have solid players. This year they're winning with him and theyre 2 and 1 without him. Someone pointed out how Morant outplayed him. But even Memphis wins without Ja.
In fairness to Zion the Pelicans have not had much continuity in his tenure at the coaching spot and putting players around him. Of course lack of continuity includes his injury history.
Embiid was injured his first 3 years but I doubt anyone would call him a bust. Zion is still very young.
I just don't see him playing more than 65 games this season. Nevertheless I think any GM would still draft him. The Pelicans GM is a savvy team builder and they'll get the right pieces to fit with him.
Nope. I am politely challenging the OP to show evidence of the claim that 25 ppg on 60% FGP is such a massive failure compared to the alleged predictions that were so much bigger than that. And if that actually exists, then it shows the expectations were obviously unrealistic and uninformed. This thread is attacking g a straw man position. Much to some people’s disappointment, Zion turned out to be an all-star level player. So the only thing left is to say, well, he still failed to live up to the hype. Ok, show me the alleged hype. What was it predicting? 35 ppg? A championship for the pelicans every year? A dunk on every possession? it’s obvious that most people on this thread don’t actually watch NBA and couldn’t tell you anything about any players actual skills/tendencies/strengths and weaknesses etc. Just superficial guesses. Like Zion and Okafor and Pervis Ellison and Fultz are similar lol.
I'm not sure what the OP meant but people expected Zion to change the trajectory of a team the way Lebron did or other greats have. As someone else pointed out they came in 6th without him but they did have solid players. This year they're winning with him and theyre 2 and 1 without him. Someone pointed out how Morant outplayed him. But even Memphis wins without Ja.
In fairness to Zion the Pelicans have not had much continuity in his tenure at the coaching spot and putting players around him. Of course lack of continuity includes his injury history.
Embiid was injured his first 3 years but I doubt anyone would call him a bust. Zion is still very young.
I just don't see him playing more than 65 games this season. Nevertheless I think any GM would still draft him. The Pelicans GM is a savvy team builder and they'll get the right pieces to fit with him.
Best case scenario Zion becomes a better version of Embiid, worst case scenario he turns into a Greg Oden type player, but worse since we can see how talented he is.