History of Zion Williamson in Timeline

Zion Williamson is a prominent American professional basketball player currently playing for the New Orleans Pelicans in the NBA as a power forward. After a single season with Duke University, he was drafted first overall by the Pelicans in the 2019 NBA draft. Williamson was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team in 2020. In 2021, he distinguished himself further by becoming the fourth-youngest player ever selected for the NBA All-Star game, solidifying his status as a rising star in the league.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

1983: Comparison to Michael Jordan

Zion Williamson's performance during his rookie season was compared to Michael Jordan, logging the highest scoring average through his first 24 career NBA games since Jordan in 1983.

1992: Comparison to Christian Laettner

In March 2019, after recording 29 points, 14 rebounds, and 5 steals in a game, Zion Williamson became the first Duke player to record at least 25 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 steals in a game since Christian Laettner did so in 1992.

1993: Lateef Williamson's All-American Honor

In 1993, Zion Williamson's father, Lateef Williamson, was recognized as a High School All-American in football while playing as a defensive lineman at Mayo High School.

July 6, 2000: Zion Williamson's Birth

On July 6, 2000, Zion Lateef Williamson was born in Salisbury, North Carolina. He is now a professional basketball player for the New Orleans Pelicans.

Others born on this day/year

2013: Johnakin Conference Title

In 2013, Zion Williamson guided Johnakin Middle School to an 8-1 record and a conference title, showcasing his early basketball talent.

March 2015: SCISA North-South All-Star Game

In March 2015, Zion Williamson participated in the SCISA North-South All-Star Game held in Sumter, South Carolina, marking an early milestone in his basketball career.

June 2016: NBPA Top 100 Camp

In June 2016, Zion Williamson participated in the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) Top 100 camp where he was the leading scorer.

August 30, 2016: Duke Scholarship Offer

On August 30, 2016, Zion Williamson received a scholarship offer from Duke University, marking a significant step in his college recruitment.

2016: National Spotlight

Starting in the 2016-17 season, Zion Williamson was propelled into the national spotlight for his viral highlight videos.

January 15, 2017: Drake's Instagram Post

On January 15, 2017, Zion Williamson received nationwide publicity after rapper Drake wore his jersey in an Instagram post, increasing his public recognition.

2017: High School Season Honors

For his 2017-18 high school season, Zion Williamson was named to the USA Today All-USA first team and MaxPreps All-American second team, recognizing his exceptional performance.

January 13, 2018: Hoophall Classic Game

On January 13, 2018, Zion Williamson scored 36 points in a nationally televised game at the Hoophall Classic, although his team lost to Chino Hills High School.

January 20, 2018: Commitment to Duke

On January 20, 2018, Zion Williamson committed to Duke University during a live ESPN telecast, citing the program's brotherhood and the opportunity to learn from Coach Mike Krzyzewski.

November 6, 2018: Duke Debut

On November 6, 2018, in his first regular season game with Duke, Zion Williamson scored 28 points in a 118-84 win over Kentucky at the Champions Classic, breaking the Duke freshman debut scoring record along with teammate RJ Barrett.

2018: Five-Star Recruit

Entering his junior season, Zion Williamson was a consensus five-star recruit and was ranked the number one player in the 2018 class by recruiting service 247Sports.

2018: High School Ranking

In 2018, Zion Williamson was ranked among the top five players in his class and was a consensus five-star recruit while attending Spartanburg Day School.

2018: McDonald's All-American Game

In March 2018, Zion Williamson played in the McDonald's All-American Game, where he scored 8 points in 17 minutes before leaving with a thumb injury.

January 5, 2019: Strong Performance vs. Clemson

On January 5, 2019, Zion Williamson had a strong performance against Clemson, scoring 25 points, securing 10 rebounds, and executing a 360-degree dunk in just 22 minutes of play.

January 2019: Freshman Scoring Record

In January 2019, during his freshman season with Duke, Zion Williamson set the single-game school scoring record for freshmen, marking an impressive achievement.

February 4, 2019: ACC Freshman of the Week & National Player of the Week

On February 4, 2019, Zion Williamson was named ACC Freshman of the Week for the fourth time and also earned the National Player of the Week distinction from the Naismith Trophy.

April 15, 2019: NBA Draft Eligibility

On April 15, 2019, Zion Williamson declared his eligibility for the 2019 NBA draft, marking the start of his professional basketball career.

June 20, 2019: Drafted by Pelicans

On June 20, 2019, Zion Williamson was drafted by the New Orleans Pelicans as the first pick in the 2019 NBA draft, beginning his professional career.

July 1, 2019: Official Signing with Pelicans

On July 1, 2019, Zion Williamson officially signed with the New Orleans Pelicans, solidifying his entry into the NBA.

July 23, 2019: Signed Shoe Deal with Jordan Brand

On July 23, 2019, Zion Williamson signed a five-year, $75 million shoe deal with Jordan brand. This deal is the second-largest rookie shoe deal in history, trailing only LeBron James's $90 million rookie deal signed in 2003.

October 13, 2019: Meniscus Tear

On October 13, 2019, during the preseason of his rookie campaign, Zion Williamson tore his meniscus, delaying his official NBA debut.

2019: NCAA Tournament Debut

During the 2019 NCAA tournament, CBS devoted a "Zion Cam" to record Williamson. He debuted on March 22, 2019, scoring 25 points in a win over North Dakota State.

2019: NBA Draft

In 2019, Zion Williamson was selected by the New Orleans Pelicans as the first overall pick in the NBA draft, marking a significant milestone in his career.

January 22, 2020: NBA Professional Debut

On January 22, 2020, Zion Williamson made his professional debut in a game against the San Antonio Spurs, scoring 22 points and grabbing 7 rebounds, including 17 consecutive points in the fourth quarter.

March 13, 2020: Pledged to Pay Smoothie King Center Employees

On March 13, 2020, Zion Williamson pledged to pay the salaries of all the employees of the Smoothie King Center for 30 days during the suspension of the 2019–20 NBA season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He was one of several basketball players who stepped up to help the arena workers.

2020: NBA All-Rookie First Team

In 2020, Zion Williamson was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team, recognizing his outstanding performance during his first year in the league.

February 12, 2021: Career High 36 points against Dallas Mavericks

On February 12, 2021, Zion Williamson scored a then career high 36 points in a 143–130 defeat against the Dallas Mavericks. He finished the game on 14-of-15 shooting from the field, making him the youngest player in NBA history with 30 points on 90 percent shooting.

February 23, 2021: NBA All-Star Game Selection

On February 23, 2021, Zion Williamson was selected into his first NBA All-Star Game.

March 21, 2021: 30 Points Against Denver Nuggets

On March 21, 2021, Zion Williamson scored 30 points and had 6 rebounds in a 113–108 win over the Denver Nuggets.

2021: NBA All-Star Selection

In 2021, Zion Williamson became the fourth youngest NBA player to be selected for an All-Star game, highlighting his rising status in the league.

July 6, 2022: Signed Five-Year Rookie Extension with Pelicans

On July 6, 2022, Zion Williamson signed a five-year rookie extension with the New Orleans Pelicans worth $193 million guaranteed, increasing to $231 million if he made an All-NBA team in the 2022–2023 season.

October 4, 2022: Return from Injury

On October 4, 2022, Zion Williamson made his return from injury, putting up 13 points, four rebounds, one assist, and one steal in a 129–125 preseason win over the Chicago Bulls.

January 2, 2023: Sidelined with Hamstring Injury

On January 2, 2023, Zion Williamson was sidelined with a hamstring injury, with team officials initially hopeful for a return by the end of January.

January 26, 2023: Selected for Second NBA All-Star Appearance

On January 26, 2023, Zion Williamson was selected for his second NBA All-Star appearance, but was later replaced by Anthony Edwards due to his injury.

June 2023: Pregnancy Announcement and Subsequent Controversy

In June 2023, Zion Williamson announced his girlfriend's pregnancy in a baby shower YouTube video. This announcement led adult film star Moriah Mills to claim on Twitter that she had a recent affair with Williamson.

November 29, 2023: 33 Points Against Philadelphia 76ers

On November 29, 2023, Zion Williamson recorded 33 points, shooting 11-of-12 from the field and 11-of-12 from the free throw line, along with eight rebounds, six assists, and three steals in a 124–114 win over the Philadelphia 76ers.

February 2, 2024: Game-Winning Layup Against San Antonio Spurs

On February 2, 2024, Zion Williamson put up 33 points, eight rebounds, and a game-winning layup in a 114–113 win over the San Antonio Spurs.

January 8, 2025: Return from Injury

On January 8, 2025, Zion Williamson made his return from an early season left hamstring strain, scoring 22 points in just under 28 minutes in a 104–97 loss to the Timberwolves.