There have been fewer things that have been more amazing to witness than the transformation of the New Orleans Pelicans this calendar year. At the beginning of last season, the New Orleans Pelicans started with a 1-12 record. Zion Williamson was not in the picture due to injuries.

Williamson's injuries had an underlying subtext that most NBA analysts and pundits couldn't ignore. That subtext was that Zion Williamson needed to do more to get himself in shape. One could even say he was buying time before leaving the Pelicans for greener pastures.

Even when the Pelicans traded for C.J. McCallum, the future prospects for this franchise weren't great. However, the Pelicans would go on a remarkable run toward the end of the season. Willie Green's message started to resonate. Brandon Ingram started to reach his maximum potential. The team started to gel and develop a culture practically overnight.

The culture change could be seen in the hard-nosed play by role players such as Herbert Jones and Jose Alvarado. The Pelicans scratched and clawed their way into play-in games against the San Antonio Spurs and the LA Clippers. They outlasted both teams and found themselves in a first-round matchup against a vulnerable top-seeded Phoenix Suns.

The #8 Pelicans would push the #1 seed Suns to the limit. Even though they lost in six games, it was clear that the Pelicans had turned a new leaf and that things would improve. Before you know it, Zion Williamson got his affairs in order. He was cleared for on-court activity in May and signed a long-term contract extension in July.

The Pelicans were locked and loaded for the 2022-2023 season. As of 12/22/2022, the New Orleans Pelicans have lived up to the heightened expectations of the NBA world. Currently, the New Orleans Pelicans have an 18-12 record and have the #3 seed in the Western Conference. It is no surprise that the star of this show is Zion Williamson. So far, Zion Williamson has averaged 25.2 points and 7.2 rebounds per game. He is playing like a man looking to make critics eat their words.

Zion Williamson 360 Windmill dunk | Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images

Just like last year's playoff appearance, the bench of the New Orleans Pelicans has played a vital role in this team's success. Jose Alvarado, Trey Murphy III, Larry Nance Jr., and Naji Marshall have averaged nearly 40 points per game off the bench so far this season.

There is no doubt that the Pelicans are going to be making noise all year long. One thing's for sure, their playoff journey will not end in the 1st round.

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