The New Orleans Pelicans are playing the most important game of their season thus far on Wednesday when they take on the Oklahoma City Thunder in their highly anticipated Play-In Game. Unfortunately, the Pelicans will not have Zion Williamson available for this all-important clash, with the 22-year-old still nursing a nagging hamstring injury.

FS1 broadcaster Shannon Sharpe has had enough of Zion's antics. So much so that the Pro Football Hall of Famer has come out to call out Williamson for supposedly letting his mental conditioning get in the way of his return to the court:

“It's mentally, ‘Can I do it? Can I get out there and can I perform?' I think that's the big struggle,” Sharpe said on Wednesday's episode of Undisputed. “Physically, he might be (ready). Mentally, sometimes is an even bigger hurdle to clear than being physically being able to go out there and do said job.”

The criticism did not stop there. As a matter of fact, Shannon Sharpe has long believed that Williamson won't be returning this season. So far, this theory has held true:

“Zion said, ‘People think I'm injury-prone.' You are! Bro, you played 114 games in four years! It's not like we're making this up,” Sharpe said. “
 Skip, he ain't coming back.”

Sharpe then went on to discuss the Pelicans superstar's weight problems and how this has been a significant contributor to Zion's inability to stay healthy. The outspoken analyst believes that Williamson has an issue with how he eats and that this is why he puts on a considerable amount of weight whenever he's out injured and unable to exercise.

It was at this point that Sharpe brought up Kawhi Leonard and his unceremonious divorce from the San Antonio Spurs some years ago. In his mind, Sharpe believes that Zion is pulling the same act with the Pelicans:

“He gone get up out of (New Orleans),” Sharpe stated. “
 Remember when Kawhi did this? They pulled a power play on you.”

RECOMMENDED (Article Continues Below)
NBA play-in tournament with Joel Embiid, LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and others

Brett Siegel ·

Lakers vs. Pelicans Prediction With NBA 2K24 - LeBron Goes Off

Massimo Marchiano ·

Clippers Kawhi Leonard Team USA Olympics

Peter Sampson ·

Skip Bayless then chimed in to say that he agrees with Sharpe's comparison:

“That's probably the same situation,” Bayless concurred. “
 You now what, it is. The more I think about it. Kawhi kept saying, ‘I'm hurt.' The Spurs kept saying, ‘No, you're not.'”

That has to be tough to hear for Pelicans fans everywhere. However, Shannon Sharpe was not done just yet. He then sent out a bold warning to the New Orleans faithful about Zion Williamson slowly facilitating his looming exit:

“He's a young kid. He don't want people to dislike him. He doesn't want to be one of those superstar players that forced his way out of a small market. He knows how that's gonna look,” Shannon continued. “So he doesn't wanna say it. He doesn't wanna be there. 
 He'd be foolish not to sign [the $193 million rookie extension with the Pelicans]. But now he got that in his back pocket, watch.”