Zion Williamson was drafted by the New Orleans Pelicans in the 2019 NBA Draft using the #1 pick. At the moment, Zion was expected to be the next big thing in the league and it seemed like the Pelicans got their hands on a generational talent.
It was even better for the team since their former cornerstone player Anthony Davis joined the Los Angeles Lakers. However, in reality, that’s not what happened. Williamson has been consistently sidelined due to injury troubles in his short career with the Pelicans.
Moreover, the team played extremely well in the absence of Zion in the 2021-22 NBA season. They made it to the playoffs and won two games against the top-seeded Phoenix Suns in Round 1 of the 2022 postseason.
Maybe the Pelicans will go ahead with a trade for their young star in the offseason, but if they don’t, Zion needs to find a way to stay healthy.
NBA legend Charles Barkley had a piece of advice for Zion as he compared his situation to that of Anthony Davis’ time with the Pelicans.
“Zion’s got to look in the mirror… Because it’s the same thing with Anthony Davis. You can’t be hurt all the time. Injuries do happen… Screw your family, the coaches, your friends, you got to want to be a great player for yourself. And he’s got to say ‘Yo man, I’ve been in the NBA (and) I’ve been hurt every year.’ and I say the same thing with Anthony Davis. Davis is a really, really talented player but he never came close to reaching his potential.”
https://twitter.com/NBAonTNT/status/1519907024795959296
We have seen what happens when an athlete fails to take care of their body. The perfect example is Anthony Davis, who is very talented but misses a lot of games due to injury.
As of now, Zion is heading towards the same path. If he doesn’t find a way to be fitter and healthier, we might never see him reach his full potential like AD.
