Because Charles Barkley doesn't have a single ring in his resume we almost forgot how dominant and great he was at his size of 6'4" at the power forward position. Chuck grabbed a career season high in rebounds during the 1986-87 season where he recorded 14.6 boards which put 7 footers today into shame. Barkley is matchup nightmare because of his large frame and almost no one can stop him in transition and that's how we view Zion in today's NBA although he hasn't play a single game yet.
Zion at 6'7 and 285 lbs(2nd heaviest NBA player behind Boban Marjanovic) its rare to see someone of that body mass who could leap like Vince Carter and yet its real. Remember how Sir Charles dominated the paint during the era of back to the basket bigs and 7 footers always lurking around the shaded area. How much more Zion could bring to the table in this small ball lineup game and floor spacing bigs.
One exhibition game into his pro career, the answer looks to be a resounding yes. During Williamson's NBA Summer League debut, he ripped the ball out of New York Knicks forward Kevin Knox's hands like a bully stealing lunch money
It's not fair to compare a proven career to a rookie who haven't play yet his debut in the NBA season but it is nice to hear or read that we are having a discussion or comparing a player to Chuck that we thought we're not gonna heard again. To end up the conversation I think with all the physical tools and explosiveness to go along with that vertical leap, Zion could be a loyal customer on the top plays of the week.
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