New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson has endured ample criticism for his injury-riddled run in the NBA, some of which were attributed to his weight. This saw some advice coming from a former star, Charles Barkley.
Speaking on NBA’s Sirius XM, “You see what’s going on down in New Orleans with Zion. I wish Zion had a vet on the team or a coach who could say, ‘Yo, man, you gotta get in shape. You can’t play basketball at your weight.“
In addition to urging Williamson to get a mentor, the former Philadelphia 76ers star relived the time he had weight issues and credited Moses Malone for helping him make a turnaround.
“I was so blessed and fortunate that Moses (Malone) told me, ‘Chuck, son, you fat and you lazy.’” He added, “And I did what any grown man would do, I went to my condo and cried like a little woman … and then Moses said, ‘If you want to get in shape, I’ll help you get in shape.’ And he helped me lose 50 pounds.”
“How many players have you seen eat their way out of the NBA? A lot of them!”
Charles Barkley would like to share his experiences with Zion.@TermineRadio | @JumpShot8 pic.twitter.com/UFxNrSbVQL
— SiriusXM NBA Radio (@SiriusXMNBA) May 19, 2023
He further added that Williamson had unbridled potential and his eating habits seeing a tweak could work in his favor. “I wish I could sit down with Zion and say, ‘Yo, man, you got so much talent, but you gon’ have to lose some weight and get in shape because unless you get in shape, you can’t play basketball.'”
There’s no doubt that Williamson has someone who cares, and Barkley, usually unabashed with his opinions, showed that he really cared.
The Pelicans forward played only 29 games in the 2022-23 season averaging 26.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 4.6 assists — and while New Orleans started off on a solid note, injuries to Williamson and Brandon Ingram subsequently derailed their campaign as they failed to make the playoffs.
Pelicans GM Urges Zion Williamson To Be Better After Dismal 2022-23 Season
The Pelicans’ run would have surely been better if Williamson had been healthy. And it didn’t help that his admission that he wasn’t at his 100% came in the aftermath of the team losing to the Oklahoma City Thunder during the play-in tournament.
Following this, GM David Griffin had some stern words to say. “I think a big part is on him,” Griffin said, as per NOLA. “I think there is a lot he can do better. And he would, I think, tell you that. I think we need to do a better job examining the whole situation top to bottom a little bit better.”
At 22, one would expect Williamson to be athletic, explosive, and skilled — all of which he is considering his size. But then, if he doesn’t figure out a way to keep himself fit and healthy, he would squander the god-given talent he’s bestowed with.
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