Charles Barkley had a firm message for New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson on staying in shape. Williamson has been open recently on the struggles he's had with dieting and tempting foods, which have kept him out of shape the past few seasons.

Barkley spoke on Williamson's struggles with a stern warning to take accountability and action.

“He needs to get in shape, plain and simple. This is professional basketball, we’re not babysitters. To make the kind of money these guys are making today, I don’t think it’s a lot to tell guys to get in shape,” he said on SportsCenter.

Barkley not only emphasized that it's Williamson's job to take action on his own health, but that his current habits are simply not fair to his team.

“It's not fair to the Pelicans, it's not fair to the NBA, but the bottom line is he's got to get in shape,” he said of Williamson.

This isn't the first time Barkley has spoken on Williamson's health and injury status. He previously made similar comments back in May that suggested Williamson would be healthier if he ate better.

In certain respects, Barkley isn't wrong about Williamson's weight issues, as his unhealthy eating habits have no doubt contributed to his injury problems.

The No. 1 overall pick of the 2019 draft has struggled with injuries throughout his career, including a hamstring injury that kept him on the sidelines for the second half of the 2022-2023 season. Williamson has missed at least part of every season of his career due to an injury.

Finally, Charles Barkley closed off his interview with some practical advice for Williamson.

“With the kind of money he's making, hire a personal chef. He's just got to grow up, plain and simple.”