Zion Williamson to face Timberwolves at Target Center for first time

Casual NBA fans, the media, fellow players and coaches have all been awed at one point or another by New Orleans rookie Zion Williamson.

But one Wolves player wasn't about to bow at Williamson's altar after the Wolves beat the Pelicans in New Orleans on Tuesday.

"Zion is just another rookie," Wolves guard D'Angelo Russell said. "Just another player in the league that puts his pants on in the morning just like everybody else."

Except he can be fairly explosive when he puts on those pants.

Wolves fans will get their first up-close look at Williamson when the Pelicans come to Minnesota on Sunday. New Orleans made a previous visit on Dec. 18, but Williamson was nursing a knee injury that caused him to miss most of the season.

Williamson made his NBA debut on Jan. 22 and has looked as advertised when he came out of Duke as the No. 1 pick. He's averaging 23.6 points and 6.8 rebounds.

In his first game against the Wolves, Williamson had his share of dunks on his way to 25 points on 10-for-19 shooting, although the Wolves were able to win 139-134.

Breathtaking is one word for it. Few players in the league have the kind of size, both in terms of height and bulk, that Williamson has while still being able to maintain a one-of-a-kind explosiveness. You expect someone of Williamson's stature (6-6, 285 pounds) to be more plodding. Williamson is hardly that. He can leap out of the gym and spin around defenders out of the post before they can react.

"He does a lot of things that are things that are just all feel right now," Wolves coach Ryan Saunders said. "So he's a guy that as he learns the NBA game more and he becomes more keen to what coverages may be or what reads may occur on the offensive end, he'll get better and better. He's definitely a talent."

Williamson doesn't shoot a lot of threes. He takes only 0.7 per game, and that's an area of his game that will have to improve over time. Meanwhile, 76% of his shot attempts come within 3 feet of the basket.

Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry said in the short time Williamson has played, 18 games, he sees Williamson developing a better feel for the game.

"Not being out there is huge," Gentry said. "The timing, just everything that you're so used to at this time of the season, he's still in the beginning stages of it. I think as he plays more, he'll continue to improve. But it's going to still be a process for him to get to where he's going to eventually get to."

"He's a talented young player," Wolves guard Malik Beasley said. "I was talking to him how he's set for life already just off a shoe deal, so I know he's blessed about that."

Beasley was referring to Williamson's reported $75 million deal with Nike.

Assuming he can stay healthy, Williamson is primed to be at the forefront of the next generation of NBA superstars.

Another one of those players, Karl-Anthony Towns, is out for Sunday's game, meaning this season will go by without a matchup between Towns and Williamson. Instead, undrafted rookie Naz Reid will draw time against Williamson. Reid held his own just fine Tuesday, scoring 13 points and grabbing 14 rebounds.

"Zion is a great player," said Reid, who played against Williamson on the AAU circuit. "He's one of my friends. We've gone at it 100 times and I mean, he does what he does best, and it's not many people in this league that can stop him."