Zion Williamson‘s weight and conditioning are receiving increased scrutiny as his recovery from offseason foot surgery drags on, according to Christian Clark of NOLA.com, who notes that multiple members of the national media have focused on the issue this week.
In a Substack article about the Pelicans star, veteran reporter Marc Stein suggested that Williamson has to be a “more active participant in his own recovery” and must find a way to better manage his weight. Former teammate J.J. Redick, now an analyst for ESPN, stated that Zion “has to be in better shape.” TNT’s television studio analysts also weighed in on the subject on Tuesday, with Charles Barkley joking that recent video of Williamson working out “looked like me and Shaq had a baby.”
Pelicans fans can’t be thrilled that Williamson continues to battle health problems as Ja Morant continues to emerge as one of the league’s brightest young stars in Memphis, but it’s revision history to suggest New Orleans should’ve drafted Morant over Zion with the No. 1 overall pick in 2019, Stein notes. According to Stein, he recently asked executives from 10 different teams about that choice and only one said he might’ve been willing to take Morant first overall two years ago — and even that exec acknowledged that team ownership probably wouldn’t have signed off.
Here’s more on the Pelicans:
- The 1-8 Pelicans can reasonably expect to be better once Williamson and Brandon Ingram (hip) are back on the court, but it’s a discouraging sign that other young breakout candidates – such as Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Jaxson Hayes – are off to underwhelming starts this season, writes William Guillory of The Athletic.
- Hayes, who is typically the backup center behind Jonas Valanciunas, was replaced on the depth chart by Willy Hernangomez in Wednesday’s game, Clark writes for NOLA.com. Hayes only logged four minutes and didn’t play in the second half. It’s unclear if that was just a one-game change or if Hernangomez could see more action going forward, says Clark.
- Pelicans rookie Herb Jones was placed in the NBA’s concussion protocol on Wednesday after sustaining a concussion in Tuesday’s game vs. Phoenix, the team announced in a press release. He’ll have to show he’s symptom-free before being cleared to return.
Body shaming by TNT
They’re right tho
Zion is better than Ja and it’s not close no matter what these clickbait media heads say. Dude was 20 last year, all star, 27 ppg, most paint ppg since shaq.
I think the weight issues etc are part of a bigger plan from team Zion to get him outta Nola and to New York as soon as possible.
Any hope that Zion will have an NBA career resembling Shaq’s is fading quickly. Right now he will be lucky just to reach the same level as Joel Embiid. Zion’s injury problems aren’t going to go away without a ton of work on his part. Unless he can turn things around and become the dominant player he was expected to be, then Ja Morant will in fact have the better career of the two.
“I think the weight issues etc are part of a bigger plan from team Zion to get him outta Nola and to New York as soon as possible”
-I honestly can’t tell, is this an attempt at humor?
In theory it could still be the case, the fam wanting him in NY and telling him to malinger. Probably would not work, though GM Marks likes the stars. ESPN made a highlight video on a play where the announcer said James Harden’s brain went “dormant” lol. Not a good look, or start to the year.
I speculated before the draft that Morant would be the best pick because of ZW being too hard on his connective tissues due to weight.
link to hoopsrumors.com
Jaxson Hayes is a bust.
He’s only 21.
This is hilarious. Zion needs to stay healthy true, but don’t call him a bust because of injuries. He’s no Greg oden
Not yet, but he is in danger of becoming another Greg Oden.
Zion isn’t Greg Oden, he’s Sam Bowie.
If the Pelicans has drafted Morant instead of Zion they would be a playoff team.
Sooo… what is your point?
Still the right answer is that anyone would always pick Zion ahead of Ja!
You see you go for the better player always, if he doesn’t pan out due to injuries no one, & I mean no one, not even the fans will blame the team…
Now if you go for the wild card & pick a much lesser player like Ja first you better pray that you get it right, otherwise you probably gotta sell the team, right?
Zion will eat his way out of NBA. RJ is heaven sent. Thank You
Regardless what anyone says Zion’s weight and injuries are past the point of troubling.
If he’s going to live up to any expectations whatsoever he’s going to have to get and STAY healthy.
It’s like the old saying goes the most important ability is availability..