New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson has received immense criticism regarding his weight throughout his NBA career, and Charles Barkley, who struggled with his weight during his own time in the league, said he hopes Williamson listens to his advice.
On the latest episode of “Club Shay Shay” with Shannon Sharpe, Barkley, while discussing his desire to see younger athletes talk and listen to older, retired athletes like himself and Sharpe, brought up Williamson and his weight.
“I like Zion a lot… but the sooner he gets in shape, the better he's gonna be,” Barkley said. “I don't know him, but I try to tell him that on television and I hope he hears it and doesn't take it as a criticism, 'cause he's got so much talent and you can't get in shape during the season. You get in shape during the summer.
“I see that he lost about 25 pounds — that's what the reports are — during the season; you gotta do that during the summer because you got to be ready to go when the season starts. He's so explosive. That last game that he got hurt in, that's the best I've ever seen him play. Listen, I got in shape for $2 million. The money these guys are making today, I'd be damn near anorexic for $35, $40 million a year.
Zion Williamson career to this point
Coming out of high school, Zion Williamson was a highly sought-after prospect who ultimately committed to Duke. And while there were high hopes for Williamson, whose hoop mixtapes had already gone viral thanks to his shockingly explosive dunk highlight reel, Williamson exceeded expectations in his lone year in Durham.
Despite playing alongside other top high school prospects RJ Barrett and Cam Reddish, Williamson outshined his teammates and became the talk of college basketball. At the end of his freshman season, it was clear Williamson would be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, so when the New Orleans Pelicans won the lottery, it was a foregone conclusion who the Pels would select to replace Anthony Davis.
Williamson's NBA career has been anything but smooth and simple, however. In the preseason of his rookie year, he tore his meniscus, which put him out of action for more than three months. When he did make his debut, his play was jaw-dropping; despite playing just 24 games, he finished third in Rookie of the Year voting after averaging 22.5 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 2.1 assists in just 27.8 minutes per game.
In his second season, Williamson played 61 games and became a first-time All-Star by dominating the paint. He averaged 27.0 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 3.7 assists while shooting 61.1% from the field, showcasing just how efficient and valuable of a player he could be when even somewhat healthy.
Unfortunately, Williamson had surgery on his right foot after sustaining a Jones fracture during the offseason. The injury, at the time, was thought to be a nuisance but not one that would cut into the season. But Williamson's expected return from injury never came, as he missed the entire season.
Things weren't much better the following season; Williamson suffered a hamstring injury in early January 2023, which like the previous season's foot injury, did not initially appear to be season-ending. However, Williamson did not suit up again for the Pelicans during the 2022-23 season, including for the Play-In elimination game against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Through his first four seasons in the NBA, Williamson played 114 out of a possible 308 regular-season games, which made many fans and analysts question his dedication to basketball, particularly in relation to his weight and conditioning.
While Williamson did do a lot to hush those concerns by playing a career-high 70 games this past season, his weight remained a topic of conversation after the Pelicans' embarrassing In-Season Tournament semifinals loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. Unfortunately for Williamson, against the very same Lakers in the Play-In, he suffered a hamstring strain, sidelining him for the Pelicans' second Play-In game and the first-round playoff series sweep vs. the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Because of the conclusion, Williamson's weight and preparation will likely continue to be talked about for the foreseeable future.
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