Zion Williamson, the power forward for the New Orleans Pelicans, swiftly claimed the spotlight in the league after the 2019 NBA draft, showcasing exceptional and undoubted talent. However, the 23-year-old star, facing challenges such as poor dieting and multiple injuries, has seen a drastic impact on his on-court performance due to becoming overweight.
Meanwhile, the Pelicans’ recent poor outing in the just concluded in-season tournament, has fueled a renowned analyst’s public criticizing of Williamson’s weight, amidst reports of the Pelicans’ failed efforts on Williamson’s diet.
Stephen A. Smith goes on bizarre rant over Zion Williamson’s weight
In the semifinals of the just-concluded in-season tournament, the New Orleans Pelicans experienced a disappointing 89-133 loss to the now-crowned champion, the Lakers. Following the loss, the Pelicans’ roster and Zion Williamson have come under heavy criticism from the fans and analysts alike.
During the Monday episode of ‘First Take,’ the weight issue of Pelicans’ star Zion Williamson was discussed, and NBA analyst for ESPN, Stephen A. Smith, didn’t hold back when talking about Zion Williamson’s diet. Stephen had claimed that sources informed him that chefs love Zion Williamson because he “eats the table.” Before his recent statements, Stephen had labeled Williamson fat and now has quoted chefs in NOLA from the New Orleans restaurants on Williamson’s eating habits.
Stephen A. Smith said, “It is shameful. You got chefs in New Orleans…I’m not exaggerating. I’m quoting people. You got chefs in New Orleans who love him. They’re looking for him. Everybody, every chef there wants to meet him because they know he’ll show up to their restaurant. The word out on Zion Williamson is that he’ll eat the table.”
Stephen A. Smith stated that Zion Williamson is more than 15 years younger than LeBron James and emphasized that while Williamson’s talent is well-known, conditioning is also crucial to consider. Zion unexpectedly finished the Lakers’ matchup with just 13 points, 2 rebounds, and 3 assists in 26 minutes. The trend is quite concerning for both the fans and the team, especially looking ahead to the playoffs.
Pelicans reportedly failed to improve Zion Williamson’s diet
Zion Williamson fell short of expectations during the Pelicans’ loss to the Lakers, resulting in their elimination from the inaugural in-season tournament. Following his disappointing outing, during which the power forward struggled notably to get back on defense, NOLA.com writer Christian Clark reported that the Pelicans have repeatedly stressed to Williamson that his diet and conditioning need improvement.
However, Williamson has reportedly refused to listen. Clark said, “Pelicans have repeatedly stressed to [Zion] Williamson that his diet and conditioning need to improve, but the former No. 1 pick “doesn’t listen.”
As per Clark, Williamson’s poor work ethic has been a worry for the Pelicans since his 2019 draft, which the team has tried recruiting stars with track records of maximizing their potential on the court. Also, Clark, reported that Williamson struggled to breathe less than five minutes into the Lakers game.
After the Lakers’ matchup, Williamson acknowledged the need to be more aggressive, noting that LeBron displayed much more aggression in the game. As observed, the 38-year-old James was impressive with 30 points, 5 rebounds, and 8 assists. In contrast to Williamson, LeBron has been exceptionally durable throughout his 21 years in the league, while Williamson has struggled with weight and regular injuries.
The Pelicans’ star has managed only 29 or fewer games in three of his first four seasons with the franchise. Nevertheless, the Pelicans on a 13-11 record so far, and need a healthy and properly dieted Zion Williamson, to propel them to a successful season.
