New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson was bombarded with criticism earlier this season for his poor conditioning and for being out of shape. It appears Williamson is now taking better care of his body, with NBA insider Brian Windhorst having heard that the 23-year-old has lost 25 or more pounds since the In-Season Tournament.
“I got people in New Orleans telling me that since December, when the In-Season Tournament happened, Zion Williamson has lost 25 or more pounds, and his performance has been excellent,” Windhorst said on The Hoop Collective. “He’s playing fewer minutes and I think that helps as well, but I’ve got people telling me he’s lost 25 pounds. And I don’t mean like in the past where they say, ‘Oh, he’s added muscle’ and you’re like, ‘Has he?'”
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That is quite a reduction in the span of a few months. It was during the In-Season Tournament, that Williamson faced the most criticism. The Pelicans were on national television and he did not make a good impression.
During halftime of the quarterfinal clash between New Orleans and the Sacramento Kings, Charles Barkley stated Williamson was not in shape, doesn’t run, and plays the game strictly on talent. He only had 10 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 steals against the Kings, but the Pelicans managed to win.
They got blown out by 44 points by the Los Angeles Lakers in the semifinals, however, and Williamson only recorded 13 points, 2 rebounds, and 3 assists. It was after that game, in particular, that he got blasted from all corners.
Stephen A. Smith called out Williamson for being fat and criticized him for failing to galvanize the team in such a big game. His critics might have been a bit too harsh, but there wasn’t much to say at the time in his defense, as the two-time All-Star had simply laid an egg. Things have changed a lot since then, though.
Zion Williamson And The Pelicans Are On A Roll
A loss to the Boston Celtics on Jan. 29, saw the Pelicans drop to 26-21 on the season. It seemed as if another disappointing campaign was on the cards, but New Orleans has now turned its season around.
The Pelicans beat the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday night to make it six wins in their last seven games. They are now fifth in the Western Conference with a 41-26 record and are within touching distance of the 42-25 Los Angeles Clippers, who are fourth.
Williamson has been a big reason for their success and is now averaging 22.6 points, 5.8 rebounds, 5.1 assists, 0.9 steals, and 0.6 blocks per game this season. He has been on a tear of late, averaging 30.0 points per game in his last four outings.
Earlier this month, Williamson had sent a strong message to his doubters. He stated he was giving everything for the betterment of the team and to his credit, he certainly is right now.
With Williamson, Brandon Ingram, and CJ McCollum leading the way, the Pelicans look like a team that might be able to make some noise in the playoffs. Injuries are a big reason why New Orleans failed to make it in last time and you just hope the injury bug does not strike this time out.
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