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New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson. Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Zion Williamson will terrify drop defenses with his new shot profile

By Adam Taylor | Last updated 10/3/24

Zion Williamson is a force of nature around the rim. In his rookie year, the 6-foot-6 powerhouse took 87 percent of his shots within four feet of the bucket. Last season, that number fell to 69 percent as he began to embrace the mid-range game, with 30 percent of his shots coming between the free-throw line and three-point line.

Of those mid-range looks, Williamson shot 38 percent, which, while admirable, isn't enough for him to be considered a genuine threat by opposing defenses. Teams would much rather pack the paint and live with him, taking one of the least rewarding shots on the court. The only way to change that is to become a genuine mid-range assassin — and it would appear that is exactly what he's spent his summer trying to become.

“I feel pretty comfortable in the midrange right now,” Williamson said during a post-practice news conference on Wednesday. “Threes is one of those, I'm a capable three-point shooter. But my mind is so used to getting the best shot, attacking the basket, but I'm going to work in the middie for sure...It's telling myself it is okay to miss...I don't want to feel like I am kind of settling and taking the shots the defense wants me to take. But if it's a shot I wanted, I'm fine with it.”

If Williamson can bring his mid-range shooting toward the 45 percent mark, he will have the perfect counter to how teams are currently looking to defend him. Drop defenses often leave significant space in the middle of the court, as the perimeter defenders shut down three-point shooters and the bigs look to protect the rim.

The issue opposing defenses will face is that if they step up to try and deter Williamson's mid-range game, they open themselves up to getting bullied off their line as he drives to the rim. Or, they will leave openings for Williamson to put them in rotation with his passing, which is also one of his core skills that is often overlooked. Last season, Williamson assisted his teammates on 25.6 percent of their made buckets when he was on the court. Put simply, over a quarter of non-Williamson buckets came via his passes.

In an era of three-point shooting and pace-and-space basketball, Williamson is making adjustments that work for his game. He's not bending toward the modern-day game. Instead, he's doubling down on how to be the best version of himself, trusting that his teammates and the New Orleans Pelicans organization will bend to fit what he does best.

Mid-range shots might not be analytically sexy, nor are they classed as quality shots. Still, for an explosive force with potentially elite passing, they could be what takes Williamson's game to a new dimension. It will be interesting to see how his shooting has progressed once the new season begins.

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