A recent picture of Zion Williamson showed his shocking weight loss journey, as he looks to be in the best shape of his life. But according to Ian Casselberry of Yahoo Sports, Zion isn’t done. Williamson is currently 281 pounds, which is 4 pounds lighter than his weight at Duke, and he plans to cut down even further, hoping to get to 272 pounds by the time the NBA season tips off in October.
“Williamson reportedly said he’s currently 281 pounds, less than he weighed at Duke (285), and intends to be 272 when the NBA regular season begins.”
This kind of transformation from Zion was one fans were hoping for. Williamson was one of the most hyped prospects coming into the NBA in 2019 when he was selected first overall in the draft by the Pelicans. While Zion has shown glimpses of his dominant play but has struggled with major injury problems in the last few years.
Williamson’s injury concerns have primarily been due to his weight concerns. Zion hasn’t been in great shape for many seasons and has struggled to manage his weight and diet properly while in the NBA. This has significantly slowed down his progress and has adversely affected the Pelicans in the last few years.
A healthy Zion could be one of the best players in the NBA, especially if he can maintain this shape for the years to come. While Zion has been in the NBA for five years now, he is still relatively early in his career and can turn things around if he is able to stay on the court regularly.
Can Zion Williamson Make The Pelicans Contenders?
Zion Williamson at full fitness could make the Pelicans one of the most dangerous teams in the Western Conference. The Pelicans acquired Dejounte Murray from the Atlanta Hawks, which gives them a solid core of Murray, CJ McCollum, Brandon Ingram, and Zion Williamson.
If all four players are healthy and playing regularly, the team can definitely cause problems for some of the heavy hitters in the Western Conference. But that is a big ‘if’, as the Pelicans, and mostly Zion, have struggled with their fitness. When Zion is on the court, he is very good and could be even better if he is lighter now.
Last season, Zion Williamson played 70 games, which was a stark improvement when it comes to his availability. He averaged 22.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 5.0 assists during the season, and helped the Pelicans secure the eighth seed through the play-in tournament.
However, the Pelicans were outmatched against the Thunder and were eliminated in the first round. But this new-and-improved Pelicans with a slimmer Zion and Dejounte Murray could make some serious progress in the Western Conference. The Pelicans have a great roster but need to be consistent next season.
Will Zion Williamson change things around for the Pelicans? With his health improved, the Pelicans could make a run with Zion leading the charge.
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