NBA fans may see a different Zion Williamson on the court this upcoming season. At least a slimmer one, judging from photos posted to social media on Saturday.
The 6-foot-6 New Orleans Pelicans star was listed at 284 pounds last season, but many believed he was overweight and out of shape, notably after watching him play in the NBA in-season tournament. TNT's Charles Barkley and Shaquille O'Neal, along with ESPN's Stephen A. Smith, were especially critical of Williamson's weight and conditioning during New Orleans' 133–89 blowout loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Spurred on by that public criticism, Williamson lost more than 25 pounds from that point, according to the New Orleans Times-Picayune. He went on to play a career-high 70 games, averaging 22.9 points, 5.8 rebounds and 5.0 assists for the season.
Heading into the 2023-24 NBA season, New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson was amongst the heaviest players in the modern NBA. Although his massive stature gave him the advantage of being a dominant force and breaking through defenses, the accompanying health issues and availability concerns diminished that advantage. Determined to address these issues, the 24-year-old utilized the off-season to undergo a major transformation, which his step-father eagerly shared with the world.
Zion Williamson recently hosted a free basketball camp in Spartanburg, South Carolina, where photos from the event revealed a noticeable physical transformation. The Pelicans star not only sported a new beard but also appeared to have slimmed down significantly! Amid speculation about his weight loss, Williamson’s step-father, Anderson Lee, revealed at the camp that the Pelicans star now weighs 281 pounds. For comparison, the player weighed over 285 pounds during the early stages of the recently concluded season. Furthermore, Zion is expected to trim down to at least 272 pounds by the time the 2024-25 NBA season.
Zion Williamson's Weight Loss Journey
Eating healthy and staying in shape has been an issue for the Pelicans player. “It’s hard, man. I’m 20, 22, have all the money in the world — well, it feels like all the money in the world. It’s hard,” Williamson said in 2023. In the 2022-23 season, he played just 29 regular season games, missing the remaining 45 after suffering a hamstring injury. This followed a season-long absence 2021-22 due to a broken foot. These recurring issues were likely tied to his weight, which could have placed excessive strain of his body while playing. As a result, the Pelicans added a clause to his $231 million contract, stating he could face penalties if his weight and body fat percentage exceeded 293 pounds.
This was a wake-up call that the player felt he needed. “Like [former Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski] taught me, I have to own up to my responsibilities,” Zion stated. “There are a lot of things I could have done better. I didn’t. I’m in the process of fixing those wrongs.”
And he certainly addressed those issues. By March 2024, ESPN journalist Brain Windhorst reported that the 2x NBA All-Star had shed over 25 pounds in just three months. ESPN’s Andrew Lopez also confirmed the same report. “If you go back and look at him in the In-Season Tournament, and you look at him now, he looks completely different,” Lopez said. According to Athlon Sports, a picture of a ‘Skinny Zion’ generated over 1.5 million views across various social media platforms within just a few hours.
The Impact of Williamson's Transformation
If Williamson continues to maintain his current physique, then this could mean big things for the New Orleans Pelicans. The 24-year-old was the lead scorer for the Pelicans during the 2023-24 season, averaging 22.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 5 assists. At the same time, he played his career high 70 games during the tournament. His performance allowed the Pelicans to enter the playoffs for the second time in six seasons. Unfortunately, right before the series against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Zion developed another injury and was ruled out. Going without their star player proved harmful, and the Pelicans lost the series by 0-4. A drop in weight would likely limit the player’s injuries, ensuring his availability for crucial games in the future.
Stephen A. Smith's Criticism
Despite the ups and downs in his career, Zion Williamson has consistently found support from his step-father. Along with serving as the NBA player’s personal coach, Lee Anderson has also been his representative in contract negotiations and crisis management consultant. As a result, he wasn’t one to stay silent when a renowned ESPN hurled insults about Williamson’s weight.
In December 2023, the New Orleans Pelicans faced a disappointing loss against the Los Angeles Lakers during the In-Season Tournament. Zion Williamson had managed to make 13 of the team’s 89 points by going 6-8 with his field goals and 1-6 with his free throws. Given how his subpar free throw shooting, Williamson faced criticism from Stephen A. Smith. Rather than attacking Zion’s playing skills, however, the sportscaster went straight to his weight.
“Zion Williamson … went to the free throw line – Ladies and gentlemen, I saw a belly,” said Smith. “A belly. Like, when he took a deep breath, his belly bounced. What’s up, Zion? It’s bad enough getting your ass kicked … But you look like you showed up to the game having just ate a buffet. Not something from the buffet, I said the buffet. Like you ate the damn table…He’s fat.”
By the time Stephen A. Smith’s next segment came around, he received a call from Lee Anderson himself. The sportscaster revealed details of the same by going “His stepdad called me this morning, and we had a really, really good conversation.” While Smith did not apologize, he assured the Williamson that his criticism came from a good place, and he just wants to see him improve.
After that massive weight loss, some eyes of the NBA world may be fixated on Stephen A. Smith to know his reaction. Whether it will be a statement of support or an apology to Zion and his step-father, details of the same may or may not be known in due course.
A New Era for Zion and the Pelicans?
As the start of the 2024-25 NBA season approaches, all eyes will be on Zion Williamson to see how his new physique translates on the court. If his off-season efforts pay off, the Pelicans could be poised for a breakthrough year, with Zion leading the charge in what could be a defining season for both him and the franchise.
Talk about a transformation! At Duke and in the NBA with the New Orleans Pelicans, Zion Williamson has gotten plenty of speculation and criticism about his weight. Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal have roasted him over it. Well that’s going to change now because Williamson has pulled off an insane transformation. Look at this picture, taken at a camp that he’s running back home in South Carolina. We’ll find out later perhaps, but just as a visual guess, he looks like he’s lost 25-30 pounds. Look at that picture compared to this one. It’s hard to believe it’s the same guy. Old Zion played basketball with a football build; new Zion is playing with a basketball build, and that’s going to be a problem. Why? Because as anyone who has lost that kind of weight will tell you, moving is a lot easier. He may not jump higher, but he’ll jump quicker - and he may jump higher. And of course that’ll put less stress on his body too, which should help his durability and longevity.
