Zion Williamson scored just 13 points and grabbed a season-low two rebounds in 26 minutes of action during the Pelicans‘ blowout loss to the Lakers in Thursday’s in-season tournament semifinal. New Orleans was outscored by 33 points when he was on the court and ended up losing the game by 44.
After the game, TNT’s panel of analysts called out Williamson’s conditioning and effort level, with former star center Shaquille O’Neal suggesting he was “just like” Zion during his early years in the NBA in the 1990s.
“(He) does not run hard,” O’Neal said (Twitter video link). “It’s not a diss. It’s going to be a lesson from one great big man to another guy that can be a great big. Does not run hard. I had the same problem my first, second year. I thought I was running hard.”
Williamson’s poor conditioning was “painfully apparent” in Thursday’s loss, according to Christian Clark of The Times-Picayune, who suggests that the former No. 1 overall pick was carrying too much weight at the start of the season and hasn’t played himself into better shape. If anything, Clark says, Williamson’s conditioning has gotten worse since the season began.
As Clark details, Williamson’s poor work ethic has frustrated the Pelicans for years, with the club repeatedly encouraging the forward to improve his diet and his conditioning. Zion “doesn’t listen,” multiple team sources tell the Times-Picayune.
Williamson’s conditioning level this fall is particularly disappointing because Pelicans head of basketball operations David Griffin suggested multiple times ahead of the season that the former Duke star had made a concerted effort to improve in that area.
“The thing I think is important is CJ (McCollum) and Brandon (Ingram), throughout their careers, have always employed people to take care of their body, to take care of their nutrition,” Griffin told reporters at the team’s media day in October. “They are really invested in their profession. This was the first summer where we’ve seen Zion take his profession seriously like that and invest in it off the court on his own in a way that I think is meaningful.”
Griffin also said in September that Williamson had spent more time in the Pelicans’ gym this summer than he ever had before.
Williamson’s 22.2 points and 5.6 rebounds per game certainly aren’t bad numbers, but they would be career lows for him. He spoke on Thursday night about wanting to give the team more and needing to bring more energy to the floor.
“I gotta be more aggressive finding my shot. I gotta do more things to get my team going. I think I was too laid back tonight, and I can’t do that,” Williamson said, per Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports. “… I have a problem where I literally just try to hunt the best shot possible every time. But I just gotta trust my game.”
Idk man as a kings fan they’ve beat the kings butts three times in two weeks I’d say he looks ok
This story comes up every year..
He did look kind of… not agile last night. I realize he’s a big dude, but at his best he can match guards for quickness. That clearly wasn’t the case yesterday. I thought it might be a minor nagging injury or something.
I think the nagging injury is likely. Zion is in great shape for an edge rusher in the NFL, just needs to work on translating it to basketball.
evergreen article
A damn shame. Imagine him on the Heat!
Overpaid, morbidly obese diva.
The dude is ripped. He maybe needs to work on cardio but he’s far from obese let alone morbidly.
He’s way overweight. Come on.
Agreed. He looks out of shape in all the physical forms. Reminds me of the Panda with the SF Giants. Zion needs to listen to nutritionists and stay in shape.
So as you, “Deputy Major”
A lot of people at Duke come out and said he doesn’t even like basketball. He has been in the league long enough to know he doesn’t really care about his conditioning or his teammates
Look, I really think Zion is kind in the situation in which, people expect a Lot from him, and, even he performing very well (because he almost always dominates when he plays), he seems like apathetic, and that he’s above (which, besides him, the extreme hype surrounding him since his teen years played a big parte into him thinking he doesn’t need to do anything).
But, to be honest, last game, out of shape (i suppose) and all, he shot 6-8 from the field, while the rest of the starters shot a dismal 15-46 (32.6 %) from the FIELD. That includes “conditioned” CJ McCollum and Brandon Ingram.
So, even if he’s coasting on his physical gifts and skill without putting enough work, he’s still the best player on the team, and the only one who could play on offense last game. The rest of the team couldn’t even play or get His shot off.
Don’t disagree with you at all…but I can’t help but wonder what a healthy in-shape Zion would look like. It’s wild that 22.2/4.8/5.5 on 57.5% shooting is a “down” year. Hope we see his potential fully realized
Agree w/ you
He’s a bust.
link to nypost.com
I’ve been saying it since he was drafted. Playing at Duke. This are college kids. K
He don’t want it……
no you haven’t
Is you buttt jealous of the amount of Shhh that comes out your mouth.
Still trying, you hurt or something. too funny lol.
spoke like a true 15 yo knicks fan
overpaid, overweight, overrated
some experts here were angered when i was calling him fat zion and saying that he can’t basically do anything than use his fat body to score :ppp
Why should he get in shape?? Pelicans have already given him a max contract. He’s been spoiled since he started playing. At his current weight it’s just a matter of time before he’s injured again.
I watched them play in person. Zion seems like he comes out the game every 3-4 minutes.
he’s always moved like a weeble wobble tho.
Imagine how his grandma feels… all those years working to keep that young boy fed only to be body shamed by some losers on the internet. Hoopsrumors, do better!
She’s probably b*tching to her chauffeur about it, while rolling around town in her Bentley, picking up healthy young men for her private collection.
Oh no, Fat Zion… still overeating and underperforming? Stop the presses and tell me it ain’t so!
The Pelicans have guaranteed their beignet monster a quarter billion dollars by the time he, hopefully, reaches the age of 27. That’ll buy him crawfish, gumbo and lard buckets until his intestines lay down their arms for good. So, why would he give a crab leg about anyone’s opinion or demands?
Stop bullying the fat kid!
Just like Pablo Sandoval. Is good but if he cared about conditioning he could be great. I think that if you don’t already have the competitive fire in you then you never will it can’t be taught.
That draft class has got some real issues at the top…
Zion looks happy to take any big check a team will throw at him… Then sit at home injured…
Look, who here isn’t facing issues with their conditioning? I mean like c’mon it’s not like he is paid +30M a year to play a sport and work out, like who has time for that?