New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson achieved widespread popularity even during his high school days, with highlight reels of his high school game footage going viral on social media in the mid-2010s.
His remarkable combination of size and skill captured the attention of numerous observers and fans long before his NBA debut. Standing at 6-foot-6 and weighing almost 300 pounds, Williamson committed to Duke University for his college career.
Following one standout season under coach Mike Krzyzewski, the forward declared for the 2019 NBA Draft, where he was unanimously selected as the first overall pick by the Pelicans.
Despite grappling with injuries, the 23-year-old has consistently delivered stellar performances whenever he's been available to play.
Impressively, with participation in only 114 out of the possible 318 games in his career during his first four seasons, he has already secured two NBA All-Star Game appearances.
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Zion Williamson Contract: $193 million
In 2022, Williamson inked a five-year max contract extension to remain with the Pelicans, amounting to $193 million and schedule to take effect from 2023-24 to 2027-28.
The potential value could have escalated to $231 million had he triggered the super max in 2022-23, contingent on achievements such as winning awards such as NBA MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, or making the All-NBA First, Second, or Third team, depending on their agreement.
However, due to a significant injury that limited his participation to 29 games in the 2022-23 season, the original contract value remains unchanged.
Williamson's current deal has a weight clause that stipulates that he must remain below 295 pounds.
Prior to the max deal, the former Duke star was on his rookie scale deal worth $44,271,137 over the course of four seasons.
Aside from his NBA income, Williamson also signed a seven-year deal worth $75 million with sportswear giant Nike's subsidiary Jordan Brand after he was drafted.
Zion Williamson Career Earnings
At the conclusion of the 2023-24 NBA season, Williamson is expected to have accumulated $77,666,547 in career earnings from his NBA salary alone over his five seasons in the league, according to Spotrac.
This figure excludes additional income from endorsements and deductions for taxes, agent fees, and other business expenses.
Looking ahead, with his current max deal set to end in 2028, Williamson is projected to reach a staggering $240,891,747 in career earnings by that time.
Remarkably, he will be just 28 years old at that point, positioning him favorably for another significant NBA contract as he enters the peak of his career, provided he remains healthy.
Zion Williamson Salary 2023
Williamson is slated to make $34,005,250 in the ongoing 2023-24 season, which is the first year of his max conrtract, according to figures from HoopsHype.
This reflects a substantial pay increase, almost tripling his 2022-23 salary of $13,534,817.
His earnings are anticipated to further rise in the upcoming years, reaching $44,886,930 in the 2027-28 season, which represents the final year of his current deal.
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