Zion Williamson

Zion Williamson
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Comments (5)
Name:
Zion Williamson
Who is:
, , basketball player
Birth date:
(25 y.o.)
Place of birth:
Salisbury, U.S.
Height:
6'7 ft ()
Weight:
284 lb (129 kg)
Relationship:
single
Birth Sign:
(characteristic)
Chinese zodiac:
Links:

Zion Williamson's biography

Zion Lateef Williamson is a phenomenally gifted American basketball player with incredible physical attributes and explosive playing style who currently plays for the NBA's New Orleans Pelicans.
American basketball player Zion Williamson
American basketball player Zion Williamson
The first overall pick in the 2019 NBA draft, winner of multiple Atlantic Coast Conference awards (Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year, Sportsman of the Year), recipient of the Wayman Tisdale Award given to outstanding freshmen by the United States Basketball Writers Association, and winner of the Karl Malone Award for top male power forward, and ex-player of the university team «Duke Blue Devils».

The athlete (named after Mount Zion in Jerusalem), due to his impressive physical attributes (weight – 129 kg, height – 201 cm), speed, accuracy, and exclusive ability of a 40-inch vertical jump (approximately 1.02 m), has earned nicknames like 'The Mountain', 'Tank' and 'Flying Fortress'. Net worth: $8 million.

Childhood

The future basketball phenom was born on June 6, 2000, in Salisbury, North Carolina, to athletic parents Lateef Williamson and Sharonda Sampson. His father played American football, while his mother was a sprint athlete and track star who later became a PE teacher and coached her son's school basketball team.
Zion Williamson at school
Zion Williamson at school
In 2002, following his maternal grandmother's death, the family relocated to Florence, South Carolina. His parents later divorced, and in 2004, Sharonda married Lee Anderson, a former Clemson basketball player.
According to his mother, Zion has always loved spending his free time with her. They loved watching the Japanese anime «Naruto» together, which tells the story of a naughty orphaned teenager who dreams of becoming a ninja warrior.
In kindergarten, the boy told his stepfather that he too would become a basketball star. His stepfather nurtured that ambition, enrolling five-year-old Zion in an Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) team. The young player quickly adapted to competing alongside 9-year-olds and had no trouble facing teams with players four years his senior.
Zion Williamson and his mother
Zion Williamson and his mother
Throughout elementary school, he'd wake up at 5 AM every day to finish training before classes started. That relentless dedication explains how he reached such incredible heights so early in his career.
Young Zion Williamson
Young Zion Williamson
His stepfather would help him develop his playing abilities while his mother was training his basketball team at school. In seventh and eighth grade, Zion dominated the court, averaging 20 points per game. During this time, he played for the AAU South Carolina Hornets alongside teammate Ja Morant, who would become the second overall pick in the 2019 NBA draft.

First steps

In 2014, during his first year at Spartanburg Day School middle school, he averaged 24.4 points per game. The following March in Sumter, he played in the South Carolina Independent School Association (SCISA) All-Star Game. During his sophomore season, he was already averaging 28.3 points per game and was named SCISA Player of the Year.
Zion Williamson in Spartanburg Day School
Zion Williamson in Spartanburg Day School
In 2016, he participated in the premier high school basketball event – the Top 100 High School Basketball Camp – and was named leading scorer. In the same year, he won the contest of young basketball talents Under Armour Elite 24, which took place in New York.

Career development

During his junior year competitions, he was already averaging 36.8 points per game. In November 2016, he scored his first 50-point game at the Tournament of Champions against Proviso East High School, then followed up in December with a 53-point performance against Gray Collegiate Academy.
Zion Williamson's height is 201 cm
Zion Williamson's height is 201 cm
Zion's success didn't go unnoticed. He was included in the list of fifty candidates selected for the Player of the Year Naismith Award among seniors.

In June 2017, he graced the cover of basketball magazine Slam, while sports website MaxPreps: High School Sports named him "National Junior of the Year," and rapper Drake posted an Instagram photo wearing his number 12 jersey. People began calling Zion the defining player of his generation.
Rapper Drake took a photo in Zion Williamson's jersey
Rapper Drake took a photo in Zion Williamson's jersey
During his senior season, Williamson continued his professional development. He earned South Carolina's "Mr. Basketball" title for the state's top high school player and finished second in national rankings, losing out to RJ Barrett, who would later become the third pick in the 2019 NBA draft.
Zion Williamson's arm span is 208 cm
Zion Williamson's arm span is 208 cm
Williamson's video announcing his decision to attend Duke University – after receiving 16 NCAA offers including Florida, Clemson, South Carolina, and North Carolina – went viral. He also turned down a football scholarship offer from Louisiana State University (LSU) coach Eric Mateos.
Zion Williamson became the first number of the «Duke Blue Devils» team
Zion Williamson became the first number of the «Duke Blue Devils» team
According to Zoomboola.com, he made his college basketball debut in August 2018. Playing for the "Duke Blue Devils" against Ryerson University of Toronto, he recorded a double-double with 29 points and 13 rebounds. He became the first player in ACC history to sweep all three major individual awards in a single season: Rookie of the Year, Player of the Year, and Most Outstanding Player of the tournament.
Zion Williamson proved himself in his first summer league

Zion Williamson's personal life

He's not married. He's reportedly dating a student named Tiana White, but prefers to keep his personal life private. They met in Spartanburg Day School, where she was a member of the cheerleading team. Afterward, she enrolled at Wofford College.
Zion Williamson and his girlfriend
Zion Williamson and his girlfriend

Zion Williamson now

In April 2019, USA Basketball announced their intention to invite the talented Duke forward to join the national team for the World Basketball Championship, which will take place in China from August 31 to September 15, despite being just 18 and still an amateur.
Zion Williamson took part in the World Basketball Championship in 2019 in China
Zion Williamson took part in the World Basketball Championship in 2019 in China
Around the same time, he announced he was entering the NBA draft. On June 20, he was selected first overall by the New Orleans Pelicans in the NBA draft. He signed with the team on July 1, and later that month expressed his desire to build his career with one franchise.

In early 2020, Team USA, along with Zion, defeated the World Team (151:131) in the Rising Stars Game, which was held in Chicago as part of the 2020 All-Star Weekend.
In 2021, Zion played in several more successful games - in January he performed a powerful two-handed dunk in the third quarter against Charlotte, and in February, Williamson and Ja Morant matched an NBA record from 49 years earlier - Zion led his team with 26 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 assists.
  • With such zeal and dedication, of course, you get a strong personality and an outstanding athlete!
    2021-04-25 22:23:15
  • Williamson has an interesting name. Very unusual but memorable nonetheless.
    2021-04-06 13:52:21
  • Now I understand where the legs grow from! Both Williamson`s parents are athletes too.
    2021-04-05 12:25:27
  • With a height of 201 cm, it`s only possible to become a basketball player haha
    2021-03-19 10:56:21
  • He is only 20 years old, and already such a famous cool athlete!
    2021-02-18 12:23:13
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