isn't Shaq 8 inches taller? btw: Does Zion have an ISO game like Barkley? Rebounding? Barkley was very mobile early in his career. Sincere question. I don't watch NCAAs. Barkley had a 38" vertical as a rookie. Wonder how much better he would be with Zion's vertical.
FWIW: Coach K is on record saying they have measured Zion's vertical at 45", though this isn't officially confirmed. https://heavy.com/sports/2019/02/zion-williamson-vertical-jump-how-high/ https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.bu...-zion-williamson-jumps-freakish-weight-2018-8 Several high profile websites (NYtimes etc.) quote his vert at 45". No offense to Shaq and Barkley who were freaks in their own right, but Zion is on another level when it comes to raw athleticism.
Should get down to 260 from 285 pounds. That's just too much. You have to be more mobile these days. Low percentage of 3pt shooting and lack of vision/passing is concerning. For now Young Larry Johnson/Barkley type. Larry like Barkley was 250-252 ish. https://www.nbadraft.net/players/zion-williamson
Bump. I won't bet on his train. To be the GOAT, you have to show me the will to win even during college, and even then you might not be good enough.
C'mon guys, who seriously thinks Zion can be the goat? Dude at this point is massively overweight and relying on his athleticism to bully weak white kids in college. He's like 6'7 but weighs as much as a center. That's not gonna fly in the NBA he will have to lose weight or else he is gonna blow out his knee. Ok he can jump, but can he change directions as quickly as the Greek Freak? Giannis actually has a working 3 pt shot now, when it comes to being GOAT Giannis is so far ahead of everyone else right now and he's only 24. How good is Zion compared to Blake Griffin when he was in college? Blake is athletic just like Zion, is taller than Zion, and had more developed skills than Zion. He could post up and shoot jumpers and was still athletic enough to jump over a Kia. How about when Anthony Davis was in college? Dude was also extremely athletic like Zion, but was taller than Zion and was a defensive monster unlike Zion. What about if Zion was in the same draft class as Karl Anthony Towns? Zion can be jumping as high as possible but pretty sure KaT would go 1st over him if they were in the same class. I don't care how high Zion can jump lol, in the NBA that just means he has a bigger chance of getting a torn meniscus or whatever when he lands. Right now he dude's just an athletic Draymond Green without passing and shooting.
GOAT?? C'mon..... But a legit #1 HOFer? Freaking absolutely. Larry Johnson, with better athleticism (insane!), a better three point shot (tbd, but certainly better straight out of college), and in a league more suited to this style of play.
So which superstars would(or wouldn't) you trade for the "GOAT"? Spoiler Yannis for Zion? Kawhi for Zion? LeBron for Zion? Steph for Zion? KD for Zion? Thompson for Zion? AD for Zion? Dame for Zion? CJ for Zion? Jokic for Zion? Embiid for Zion? Simmons for Zion? Butler for Zion? Kyrie for Zion? Donovan Mitchell for Zion? Gobert for Zion? Oladipo for Zion? Booker for Zion? Westbrook for Zion? PG for Zion? Towns for Zion? Beal for Zion? Harden for Zion? (As discussed in the GARM) Youngsters: Trae for Zion? Tatum/and-or-/Brown for Zion? Doncic for Zion? Markkanen for Zion? Jaren Jackson for Zion? Fox for Zion? Ball/and-or-/Ingram/and-or-/Kuzma for Zion? A.Gordon for Zion? D'Angelo for Zion? J.Murray for Zion? Siakam for Zion? Ayton for Zion?
My responses below. A HUGE component is situation. For example, do I think Zion will be better than Jamal Murray or Donovan Mitchell? Yes. BUt they're both incredibly young players themselves already in situations that make sense for their team and organization.
The kid has the intangibles. Has his head screwed on right, he's going to be a solid NBA citizen. His motor may be his best attribute. Only thing I think that can derail him him is the risk of injury but you can say that about anyone but he's had no history of it so far. I don't like his shooting mechanics, that's going to have to improve but defensively he's going to have an immediate impact. I'd expect next season they'll comment that he's set the record for the most chase down blocks by a rookie.
He will be better than Blake Griffin. He can have a major impact right away defensively, and physically he's way faster and it goes without saying bigger and stronger. Athletically probably similar..
Oh. It's still rigged. Just wait for Zions agent to demand he play in LA with LeBron. One or two of the young Lakers plus the #4 for Zion/#1 pick. They gave the Lakers a good enough pick to pull it off without looking too shady.
It's kind of ridiculous to even assume Zion's GOAT status. Kid hasn't even played not one single NBA second.
