Top NBA Players Under 25: Zion Williamson Ranks Below LaMelo Ball & Evan Mobley

Recently, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype asked 17 NBA executives to rank their top under-25 NBA players to build around. Before he suffered numerous injuries, Williamson would in no doubt compete for the No. 1 spot. Unfortunately, as of now, most league executives don't even see him better than Charlotte Hornets point guard LaMelo Ball and Cleveland Cavaliers power forward Evan Mobley.

On HoopsHype's NBA execs poll, Williamson only finished at the No. 7 spot where he got 10.0 percent of the maximum amount of votes.

It's hard to blame NBA executives for how they ranked Williamson. Though they still recognized his superstar potential, all of them have major concerns about his ability to remain healthy.

“I don’t know what to do with Zion,” an unnamed league executive told HoopsHype. “He’d be in the top three if I had any idea what to do with his health.”

“Primarily, his injury history scared me off, or he would have been on my (top five) list,” another NBA executive added.

Since he suffered a fractured foot last summer, Pelicans' fans have been patiently waiting for Williamson to return to the court. Unfortunately, as of now, even the Pelicans have no idea when or if their main guy could play in the 2021-22 NBA season. In mid-December last year, Williamson received an injection in his fractured foot to help with the bone-healing process.

Recently, Andrew Lopez of ESPN reported that the former No. 1 pick will continue his rehab in Portland. The Pelicans decided to keep Williamson away from the team so he could focus on his rehabilitation.

Despite the uncertainty surrounding Williamson's injury, the Pelicans are still trying to keep their playoff hopes alive in the 2021-22 NBA season. Unfortunately, though Brandon Ingram continues to establish an impressive performance, it remains a big question mark if the Pelicans can really survive this season without their best player. As of now, they are in the No. 13 spot in the Western Conference with a 15-26 record.

If they are serious about reaching the postseason, the Pelicans should strongly consider making major roster upgrades before the 2022 NBA trade deadline.