In Tuesday’s episode of First Take, ESPN star Stephen A. Smith took a major shot at New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson. According to Smith, Zion has failed to live up to expectations as a former No. 1 overall pick and went so far as to label him a bust.
“I feel very, very bad for the Pelicans and the city of New Orleans because Zion Williamson is a star-caliber talent, said Smith. “The problem is, he’s rarely available. The word bust comes to mind not because of his talent, I’m only talking about his availability. If you’re not available, it doesn’t matter how great you are, and he’s almost never available. If you traded him right now, you can’t ask for the farm for Zion.”
The NBA draft can be hit or miss for the top prospects, and the 2019 class is no different. Among the top 10 who were drafted that year, eight players get consistent minutes today, but only one of them has turned into a proper star: Ja Morant of the Memphis Grizzlies.
In the case of Zion, while many wouldn’t call him a bust, his career has been a huge disappointment given the comparisons to LeBron James and other NBA greats. At just 24 years old, he still has time to live up to his superstar potential, but he hasn’t been healthy enough to show it.
Coming out of Duke, Zion Williamson was hailed as the NBA’s next great mega-star. As a 6’6″ forward with insane athleticism, Williamson was like a freight train when attacking the basket, and the sheer power of his play helped secure fame and notoriety in college.
By the time Zion made his NBA debut in 2019, fans were certain that he’d develop to become one of the faces of the league. After a shortened rookie season (only 24 games played), Williamson made his first All-Star team in 2021 with averages of 27.0 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game on 61.1% shooting.
Zion has been on a steady decline ever since, starting with the 2021-22 campaign. He missed the entirety of that season to recover from injuries and only played in 29 games the next season. In the 2024-25 campaign, Williamson has played in just 30 games, down to averages of 24.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game on 56.7% shooting.
The Pelicans have been a major disappointment in the Zion Williamson era, and this season is perhaps one of their worst in recent history. Without Bradon Ingram and Zion in and out of the lineup, the Pelicans have struggled to keep up. Currently, they are 14th in the West at 21-54, which is the third-worst record in the NBA.
The most concerning development for the Pelicans is Zion’s ongoing weight problems. Since entering the league, Williamson has been trying in vain to slim down and get to a more appropriate size for NBA action. So far, Zion has failed to meet standards, and it could be why he has missed so much time over the past six years.
Zion was even suspended earlier this season for being late to multiple team events. Besides Zion’s game, his loyalty, mentality, and leadership are also being questioned by countless critics.
For Williamson to prove the doubters wrong and shut down the “bust” allegations, he’ll need to be more available for the Pelicans and start to play like the guy they committed their future to. If he can get in shape and improve his production on both ends of the court, it could be all he needs to rise to another level of stardom. If not, then his name will likely fade away as the Pelicans look for someone else to lead their struggling franchise.
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