ESPN analyst Stephen A Smith fired back at the New Orleans Pelicans after the team poked fun at the veteran journalist's claim that Zion Williamson is a food addict. The Pelicans told Smith to stick to solitaire on their X, formerly Twitter, after Williamson recently opened up about how Stephen A's report about a weight problem while Zion was dealing with a foot injury really stung.
Smith doubled down on his reporting, claiming it came from sources not only close to the Pelicans organization, but from Williamson's inner circle, he said, per ESPN's First Take.
“Nothing was made up. The information that emanated about Zion Williamson, yeah, it came from inside the organization. It came from people even closer than that to Zion Williamson. I'm a leave it at that,” Smith said. “People that called up and encouraged us to get his a** because of the things he was doing. You got people that are alcoholics, you got people that are drug addicts, and stuff like that. What was Zion's problem? Food! Food addict!”
Smith adds that Williamson's weight problem was an ongoing joke among chefs in and around New Orleans.
“Anybody that cooked knew about Zion Williamson, and he knew them. And they were on a first-name basis because that brother ate a lot,” Smith added. “You even had rumors, and literally I'm here thinking it was a joke, and somebody told me to go on air and point out how he got busted hiding food under his bed. This was the kind of stuff that was happening.”
"You got people that are alcoholics, you got people that are drug addicts and stuff like that. What was Zion's problem? Food! Food addict!"
Stephen A. Smith on Zion Williamson's comments about his weight.
(via @FirstTake)
pic.twitter.com/5SiH7oKJqD https://t.co/TCBp4Zw5SF— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) March 4, 2026
Unsurprisingly, Stephen A. Smith isn't backing down from his reporting on Williamson, claiming there wasn't any exaggeration in what people told him about Zion's eating habits.
Lonzo Ball's recent admission about Pelicans' Zion Williamson
Pelicans forward Zion Williamson's former teammate, Lonzo Ball, recalled fond memories of their time together in a recent interview. Ball deemed Williamson is the most enjoyable teammate he's ever had.
Ball looked back on his time with Williamson, per Fred VanVleet Unfiltered.
“To hoop with? I would probably say, s**t, low key probably Zion. Just because I could throw him the lob anywhere, and if I just give it to him in the pocket, just tally my assist. He’s laying that s**t every time,” Ball said.
“Off the court, that’s hard. [But] low-key respect Deebo the most. If I had to pick like a big brother in the league, I’d say him.”
Ball played alongside Williamson for two seasons from 2019 to 2021.
