Zion Williamson has had a lot of criticism come his way recently for not being in shape. Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal were two of his more notable critics and Williamson was asked about their comments after the New Orleans Pelicans beat the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night.
“If it comes from a great place and a place where they just want to see me do better, thank you,” Williamson said. “But if it comes from anywhere else, everybody (is) entitled to their own opinion. Can’t control that.”
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Barkley’s critique certainly was coming from a place where he wanted the best for Williamson. The Hall of Famer was quite harsh, but it was only because he wanted Zion to be better.
Barkley said Williamson is not in shape, doesn’t run, and plays the game strictly on talent. He believes the 23-year-old can be really special but is worried he’ll end up not fulfilling his potential because he’s not in shape.
Barkley was in that boat when he came into the NBA in 1984, as he was overweight. It was only thanks to his then-teammate Moses Malone’s harsh words and guidance that Sir Charles got in shape and became an all-time great player. Barkley isn’t sure Zion has someone like Malone around him to put him on the right path.
There is no doubting the fact that Williamson can become a truly special player. The talent is there and so is the freakish athleticism for a man of his size. It was on display against the Timberwolves, as Zion finished the game with 36 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block to lead the Pelicans to a 121-107 win.
Stephen A. Smith Made Some Wild Claims Regarding Zion Williamson
While Barkley’s comments were made with the intention of wanting the best for Zion, I’m not so sure about what to make of what Stephen A. Smith had to say. On First Take, Smith made some interesting claims regarding Williamson.
“The conditioning, I saw the brother go to the free throw line, he looked like he had a belly,” Smith said. “It is shameful. You got chefs in New Orleans — I’m not exaggerating, I’m quoting people — You got chefs in New Orleans who love him. They’re looking for him. Every chef there wants to meet him because they know he’ll show up to their restaurant. The word out on Zion Williamson is that he’ll eat the table.”
I’m sure many would not be comfortable with the fact that Smith said this on television. The 56-year-old went on to add that he believes the Pelicans have a chance at making the Western Conference Finals, but only if Williamson, who is averaging 22.9 points, 5.6 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 1.1 steals, and 0.3 blocks per game this season, is healthy and in shape.
These comments come on the back of Smith blasting Williamson for being fat on The Stephen A. Smith Show last week. He was extremely critical of Zion not just for playing badly against the Los Angeles Lakers in the In-Season Tournament semifinals but also for not leading or bothering to galvanize his team.
Smith then stated that it seemed like Williamson had shown up for the game after eating an entire buffet. The only way these critics will quieten is if Williamson plays well on the court and he’d know that as well.
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