As one of the NBA’s top young players, Zion Williamson had to expect that he’d always be the center of attention. After just three years in the NBA (and only two seasons played), Williamson remains a prominent name in the league, and he was creating headlines even on the sidelines.
Unfortunately, Williamson heard it all — especially about his weight –, and he hasn’t particularly enjoyed reading about all the narratives.
Williamson understands how much his weight has been a topic of discussion. While the Pels star has always tried to say the right thing whenever asked about his weight, people around Williamson maintain the constant ridicule he’s dealt with annoys him just as much as you’d expect.
But it’s not so much about people making fat jokes. Williamson has dealt with those kinds of jeers from opposing crowds most of his playing career. From what I’ve heard, it truly bothers him because people use his apparent weight gains in the past as proof that Williamson doesn’t like to work or doesn’t care about doing what’s necessary to be great.
Williamson has always maintained that he has a deep love for the game, and he’s determined to fulfill his vast potential on the court. But as I’ve written before, Williamson has reached the point in his career where his words in public don’t matter nearly as much as his actions and what people see. People will judge where he’s headed based on what he’s doing right now to put himself in the best position.
Zion missed all of this season with a foot injury, but the situation devolved into something more. As he missed more and more time, people couldn’t help but notice his weight gain, which shocked and concerned many experts within the NBA community.
Since then, countless articles have emerged, shedding light on the state of his body, health, and durability. It makes sense that Zion would be annoyed by it all.
But if he really wants to shut everybody up and earn the respect he feels like he deserves, he’s going to have to produce where it really counts: on the basketball court.
