New Orleans Pelicans’ veteran guard CJ McCollum had an eye-opening message for his star teammate, Zion Williamson.
“I’ve had serious conversations with him on multiple occasions,” said CJ McCollum on the Ryen Russillo podcast (via ClutchPoints). “Not just me, Larry [Nance Jr.]. I’ve told him, ‘You can be as good as you wanna be, and that’s not for everybody. … The level of the best version of [Zion Williamson] is a level that everybody can’t get to.”
“Your ceiling is unlike anything the NBA has ever seen,” McCollum further added when talking about his chat with the forward.
“But it’s up to you to take full advantage of whatever that is. I can’t want it for you. Mom can’t want it to you. Dad can’t want it to you. Staff can’t want it to you. So it’s up to you to decide what that looks like. … You’ve got to figure out what you want to do with this game because this game will go where you take it.”
It was another disappointing season for the Pelicans forward after he suited up for just 29 games this season, averaging 26.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 4.6 assists — and while the team started off impressively, injuries to Williamson and Brandon Ingram dented their campaign as they failed to make the postseason.
It’s also worth noting that Williamson has played only 114 games in his four seasons with New Orleans. For a player of his size, athleticism, and skill, the North Carolina native has had injury-marred runs that have seen him more on the sidelines.
Charles Barkley Urges Zion Williamson To Get In Shape
Former NBA star Charles Barkley urged Zion Williamson to get in shape ahead of the new season, failing which he could be out of the league.
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.“
Barkley, not a man who minces words also added, “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.'”
Williamson appeared to look leaner and muscular earlier this year after the Pelicans season ended, but fans weren’t convinced that he would hold up over the course of the 2023-24 edition.
Perhaps, McCollum could be the vet that Williamson could use to get back to his old self and fulfill his potential.
