In an appearance on ESPN’s ‘Get Up’ morning show, Stephen A. Smith decided to take a tough-love approach to Pelicans star Zion Williamson. Speaking plainly, Smith laid out Williamson’s weight problems and said his biggest concern right now should be trying to stay in shape for longer than a few weeks at a time.
“Zion Williamson, it’s not about his game. It’s about how many burgers he’s eating and whether he is going to be in shape or is he going to keep eating McDonald’s and have chefs clamoring for him to come to their restaurant. That’s what he has to prove, that the chefs don’t love him any longer… that he’s committed to playing basketball and being in shape. Outside of that, you look at New Orleans and you say they have a chance but you don’t know about it.”
While Stephen A.’s delivery comes off as harsh and almost unnecessary, he’s not wrong when he illustrates Williamson’s constant conditioning issues. Since coming into the league, Zion has struggled to stay in shape and it has cost him both time on the court and the full scope of his potential while he’s on the floor.
At roughly 280 pounds, Zion is a walking injury risk every time he’s out there playing and using his high-flying athleticism to coast above the rim. After years of injuries and struggling to simply play in games, Williamson’s career is taking an ugly turn, and only he has the power to turn this around.
If he can take Stephen A.’s advice and be more disciplined with his conditioning, it could change his career for the better and finally allow the Pelicans to the the team they’ve been dreaming of. Sadly, Williamson has yet to show any indication of changing his approach and it could cost him a chance at making history.
The Future Is Uncertain For Zion Williamson
When he was drafted first overall in 2019, the hype for Zion Williamson was at another level. Hailed for his amazing tenure at Duke, Williamson wasted no time stepping into the spotlight and playing a role as a star in his very first season.
Fast forward several years later, and the situation with Zion has become entirely unpredictable. While the star swingman is technically locked into his deal until 2028, it hasn’t stopped Williamson from being involved in trade rumors for years and this season was no exception.
Arguably the biggest concern of all for Williamson is his body, even though he doesn’t want people talking about it. If he can’t get his weight under control, and keep himself in better shape throughout the season, it could prove to be his undoing as a top-level NBA star.
For now, as long as Williamson is healthy and showing signs of greatness, there will always be hope that he can have a breakthrough but the pressure has never been higher for him to get his act together and prove he’s worth the $231 million contract he signed back in 2022.
With Zion at his best, the Pelicans could make some serious noise in the West playoffs and they could compete with the likes of the Nuggets, Timberwolves, and other high-level championship contenders. Whether or not the stars will stay healthy remains to be seen, but the Pelicans are overdue some good luck and this could be the year things finally go their way.
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