Zion Williamson, born July 6, 2000, began his career at Spartanburg High School. He was fast to grab the attention of many people, like famous American rapper Drake who purchased and wore Williamson’s high school jersey. Williamson began his professional career in 2019 by signing with the New Orleans Pelicans. We will help you celebrate him right here!
Fast Facts
Full Name:
Zion Williamson
Nickname:
Zanos
Birth date:
July 6, 2000
Age:
24
Zodiac Sign:
Cancer
Height:
6' 5"
Relationship Status:
Single
Net Worth:
$27.3 million
Background
Zion Lateef Williamson is a professional basketball player who is one of the youngest to have been selected for the N.B.A. He quickly became one of the most noticed basketball players with his incredible dunking highlights on social media. While in high school, he was nicknamed ‘South Carolina Mr. Basketball.’ He was born in North Carolina to Lateef Williamson and Sharonda Sampson. His mother named him after the famous Mount Zion, near Jerusalem. Williamson has had his eyes on being a college basketball star since the age of five. He began training every morning at 5. a.m. He joined the basketball team at Spartanburg Day School and led them to a state championship game appearance.
Williamson’s basketball career began professionally in college, where he was offered scholarships from a couple of recruiting schools. In his junior season, he was ranked the number-one player by recruiting service 247sports for the 2018 class. In 2018, he chose to go to Duke University because he felt it represented the family. During that same year, he played a preseason game for Duke against Canadian University Ryerson and had a 86 — 67 win. After wins and losses at Duke, he became the first player to earn at least 10 rebounds, 25 points, and four assists in a National Collegiate Athletic Association (N.C.A.A.) Tournament. In 2018, he won several awards: Jordan Brand Classic, The Nike Hoop Summit, and McDonald’s All-American. In 2019, he signed a five-year shoe deal with Jordan worth $75 million. That same year, Williamson was drafted by the New Orleans Pelicans in the 2019 N.B.A. Draft. He also won a couple of awards in 2019, which include A.C.C. Player of The Year, A.C.C. Tournament M.V.P., and the Karl Malone Award. In 2021, Williamson made history in his career by scoring 36 points in a 143 — 130 win against the Dallas Mavericks, making him the youngest N.B.A. player with a 90% shooting rate.
Williamson is genuinely a basketball sweetheart. In 2020, he pledged to pay the salaries of all those employed by Smoothie King Center for 30 days. During the off-season, he fractured his foot and had to undergo surgery.
Career timeline
As a freshman, his first time dunking is when he represents his high school and leads them to the state championship game.
Numerous universities offer Williamson scholarships, but he later chooses to stick with Duke University.
The New Orleans Pelicans select Williamson in the 2019 N.B.A. Draft.
He lands a whopping $75 million five-year shoe deal.
Why We Love Zion Williamson
He is an iconic dunker
We can never underestimate how good Williamson is at dunking. He can dunk from the free-throw line!
He always signs autographs
He was previously denied autographs from John Wall and Anthony Davis, so he decided to always sign autographs. It’s one of his many good gestures, even if he cannot reach everybody.
He has athletic genes
He is not the only athlete in his family, as his mother was a runner in college. We envy his athletic genes!
5 Surprising Facts
He made Nike lose $1 billion
During a Duke v. U.N.C. game, his Nike sneakers split open, which ultimately made headlines, and Nike lost over $1 billion.
His Duke teammates called him ‘Zanos’
Williamson was nicknamed ‘Zanos’ after Marvel villain ‘Thanos’ for his powerful dunks.
His name comes from the Bible
Williamson’s mother named him ‘Zion’ after reading about Mount Zion in the Bible.
Drake wore Williamson’s Jersey
Famous rapper Drake wore Williamson’s Spartanburg school jersey.
He was coached by his mother
Williamson’s mother supported him and did whatever she could to help him reach the top.
Zion Williamson FAQs
Is Zion Williamson injured?
He recently underwent surgery to fix his fractured right foot.
Is Zion Williamson back?
It is reported that he is back in New Orleans.
Is Zion Williamson a generational player?
He is fast becoming a generational talent.
Zion Williamson’s birthday dates
Year | Date | Day |
---|---|---|
2025 | July 6 | Sunday |
2026 | July 6 | Monday |
2027 | July 6 | Tuesday |
2028 | July 6 | Thursday |
2029 | July 6 | Friday |