“It’s a mental thing for me,” Williamson says. “I can shoot the faders, I can shoot the middies, I can shoot the 3s. But in the game, I’m such a perfectionist. I’m so locked in that mindset that the best shot is the closest shot to the basket. I feel like when I get to the basket at will, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” Zion can hurl himself toward the left side of the rim to bulldoze through defenders, just like he always has, since he’s been bigger, faster, and stronger than everyone. But he’s been a tick less efficient than he was when he averaged 27 points per game during the 2020-21 season because of the way he’s now being officiated and defended. Defenses know what to expect. On drives, he goes left. In the post, he’s going for a hook shot.