For years, the story around Zion Williamson has been as much about his availability as his jaw-dropping talent. Now, the New Orleans Pelicans forward says he’s finally turned the corner. Speaking at Pelicans media day, Zion opened up about his offseason transformation and the renewed energy he feels heading into the 2025–26 season.
“I came with a plan from boxing to working out to a football field, a lot, just different random workouts. And during the time frame last year, I really felt a shift in my body to where, I would look at him and go, it feels good to feel good. I haven’t felt like this since college, high school.”
“I can walk into the gym and feel good.”
It was the type of statement Pelicans fans have been waiting years to hear. Injuries have derailed much of Zion’s career so far, and last season was another setback.
Skinny Zion ! 🔥
(📸 @DillySanders ) pic.twitter.com/wP4OTpk7zt
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) September 23, 2025
He appeared in just 30 games, though when he was on the floor, his production reminded everyone of his superstar ceiling: 24.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game on 56.7 percent shooting from the field.
Few players can dominate the paint the way Williamson does, combining brute strength with finesse and touch. The challenge has never been his game; it’s been his ability to stay on the court.
This summer, Williamson committed himself to a rigorous and varied training program, designed not only to shed weight but also to improve durability. The results were obvious on media day. Zion looked noticeably slimmer, sparking immediate buzz.
His teammate Trey Murphy III confirmed that this wasn’t just talk or temporary optics:
“He’s slimmer than I have ever seen him during the summer time, which is always a really good sign… He is in a really good place mentally.”
That mental shift may be as important as the physical one. In past years, Zion’s injuries and prolonged absences have created constant speculation about his future in New Orleans, with rumors swirling about whether the Pelicans could ever rely on him as their franchise cornerstone.
For a team that just finished a brutal 21-61 season, one of the worst in the league, they badly need him to re-establish himself as that anchor.
The contrast to 2023–24 couldn’t be sharper. Just two years ago, New Orleans won 49 games, the second-most in franchise history, and looked like a rising team in the West.
But with Zion sidelined for much of last season, their momentum collapsed. This year, the Pelicans will lean heavily on Williamson to recapture that form and prove that the down year was an outlier.
If Zion truly is back to feeling like his college self, explosive, energized, and unburdened by physical limitations, the Pelicans’ ceiling changes dramatically. He’s still only 25, and his raw production suggests he can be one of the league’s most dominant two-way forwards when healthy.
For now, the optimism is real in New Orleans. Zion looks ready, his teammates are vouching for him, and his own words may be the most encouraging sign yet. If that feeling lasts, the Pelicans could finally build the future they’ve been waiting on since drafting him first overall in 2019.
