Pelicans star Zion Williamson's body transformation goes viral

Zion Williamson was considered by some to be a “must-have” talent when he left Duke in 2019. However, the New Orleans Pelicans star struggled to stay on the court consistently, playing fewer than 30 games in three different seasons, including one year where he didn't play at all. Although it's unconfirmed, there has been much speculation about his work ethic and, by extension, his weight and the impact it may have had on his injuries.

Since rising to prominence in high school, the 6'6″ Williamson has always been relatively heavy for basketball players his size. His athleticism never seemed to be affected by the extra weight, however, but he has often been the subject of harsh criticism that could be construed as fat shaming. The long-debated subject of Williamson's weight may not be a big issue if new photos of the NBA star, as well as his stepfather's comments, are any indication.

Pictures of Williamson at his youth basketball camp show that the Pelicans forward looks slimmer. His stepfather also reportedly said that Williamson weighs slightly less than he did in his freshman year at Duke and that he would lose about 10 more pounds by the time the NBA season begins.

Zion Williamson’s weight debate, explained

As a high school student and in his freshman and only year at Duke, Zion Williamson wowed fans and talent scouts alike. Following the 2018-19 college basketball season, Williamson was selected first overall by the Pelicans. The hype and anticipation for Williamson was huge, even though his regular-season debut had to be delayed three months as he recovered from meniscus surgery. However, when he took the court, it was eventful and more than worth the wait. As a sophomore, Williamson earned his first All-Star nomination and averaged 27.0 points and 7.2 rebounds in 61 games before suffering a season-ending broken finger.

The injuries continued in the offseason between his second and third seasons, when Williamson suffered a Jones fracture in his foot that resulted in another surgery. Although he was expected to return early in the season, his recovery timeline was changed over and over until he was ultimately out for the season. After a year of not playing any games, Williamson signed a five-year, $197.2 million contract extension that reportedly included a clause stating that Williamson must weigh under 295 pounds and have an acceptable body fat percentage.

A hamstring injury in early January 2023 ended Williamson's fourth year in the NBA, and his fifth year was relatively healthy until it wasn't. After playing 70 games in the regular season, Williamson suffered a hamstring strain in the final game before the postseason that kept him out of the Pelicans' first round of playoffs against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

One of Williamson's most vocal critics during his career – especially when it came to his weight – was Stephen A. Smith. But after the Pelicans' one-sided and sluggish loss to the Los Angeles Lakers in the semifinals of the NBA In-Season Tournament, the longtime ESPN pundit was particularly harsh on Williamson.

“The practice, I saw the brother go to the free throw line; he looked like he had a belly,” Smith said. “It's embarrassing. There are chefs in New Orleans — I'm not exaggerating, I'm quoting people — there are chefs in New Orleans that love him. They're looking for him. Every chef there wants to meet him because they know he's going to show up at their restaurant. The word about Zion Williamson is that he's going to eat the table.”

Smith simply said that Williamson “looks fat” and reiterated that Williamson has a “belly.”

“When he took a deep breath, his belly bounced. Such a belly,” Smith said. “What's wrong, Zion? It's bad enough getting your ass kicked… But you look like you came to the game having just eaten a buffet. Not something from the buffet, I said the buffet. Like you ate the damn table.”

Smith's comments were reportedly heard by Williamson's stepfather, who called Smith shortly after the initial comments. Williamson said “everyone is entitled to their own opinion” and thanked those who offered criticism, generally when it came from “a great place.”

Unfortunately for Williamson, the words of Smith and others will only get louder if he can't keep his weight up or stay on the court. The Pelicans will open the season on October 23 against the Chicago Bulls.