Zion Williamson,25, is entering his sixth NBA season and people are raving about his new physique. After playing just 129 games in the past three seasons, battling injuries, poor conditioning habits and off the court distractions that have threatened to damage his brand and NBA future, a newer, fitter Zion has emerged this season.
New Orleans needs some good news. Things just ain’t been the same since Anthony Davis forced his way out to team with LeBron in LA. Despite statistics that suggest he has the potential to be a Top 10 player in the league, Williamson hasn’t held up his end of the bargain, as far as conditioning and living a lifestyle conducive to injury prevention.
Pelicans Writer David Grubb Cautions Against Excitement For Zion Williamson’s Slimmer Look
“It is understandable that fans get excited when they see a noticeably slimmer Zion at media day and on the practice court. There are few players in the league as impactful as a healthy Zion,” New Orleans Pelicans reporter and podcaster David Grubb told The Shadow League.
.Just last season, Zion’s future with the team was being questioned.
“Whether we’re talking about his immaturity as a professional or his questionable decision making off the court, Zion is becoming a liability for the Pelicans,” said Grub, who also calls college basketball games for ESPN and has covered the Pelicans daily for the past five seasons. “It’s hard to imagine someone like Joe Dumars building around Zion when he continues to spit the bit whenever he’s given a chance to lead this franchise.”
Now, Williamson is getting plenty of props from a fanbase desperate to see him fulfill just one full season of his greatness, which would include leading the Pelicans on a significant playoff run. Former NBA player and podcast antagonizer Jeff Teague isn’t buying the hoopla.
Jeff Teague Rips Zion Williamson Getting Celebrated For Being In Shape
Teague fired back on his podcast, calling the press conference “the dumbest” he’s ever heard and blasting Zion for waiting all of this time to start taking conditioning seriously. Especially when it was the one thing that every analyst said would decide the level of success he’d have in the NBA.
“This is probably the dumbest press conference I’ve heard in my life,” said Teague on his Club 520 podcast. “All of this is because of you. You choose to eat, be out of shape, all that. Now, all of a sudden, it’s a contract year, probably looking for an extension. All of a sudden, he’s in shape, and he said they believe in me. Fool, they gave you a max deal. They’ve been believing in you. They had to put a lot of options in his contract because you didn’t believe in you. That’s dumb as hell, that press conference is dumb.”
Zion Williamson Will Make Average of $42M Next Three Seasons
Teague says he doesn’t deserve special credit for being a professional and finally staying in shape. Zion will make $39.4 million for the 2025-26 campaign. He will make $42.2 million next year and $44.9 million in 2027-28. The catch is that those salaries are non-guaranteed unless Williamson meets the games played threshold for the upcoming seasons. While fans and media credit Zion for finally wanting to do what it takes to win, he could simply be making sure he collects a full check.
“Now you decide to lock in and do what pro athletes do,” added Teague. “Take care of themselves. Hell no, I’m off that, I ain’t a fan no more. You get paid damn near $40 million a year to be in shape. I ain’t trying to sound like an old head. It’s just like you do a press conference and say, ‘I feel the best I ever felt since college.’ You chose to feel that way. You could have been like this for three years. I ain’t hating. Get all the bread you can. C’mon, bro, you were the one damn near 300 pounds.”
Having Fit Body Doesn’t Mean He Will Play 65 Games, Lead Team
Zion Williamson is a cautionary tale for when work ethic doesn’t meet natural ability. When he’s on the court, he’s an unstoppable force in the post. Zion only played 30 games last season, but his per game averages of 24.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 5.3 assists show that he can fill up a stat sheet.
“However, how he looks means nothing unless he plays at least 65 games during the season,” Grubb added. “While there are plenty of factors that will decide whether or not the Pels make the postseason, everyone knows that none is bigger than Zion’s availability. Him being confident in his body is one thing, him suiting up every night is another. As with his entire career, the potential is there, but actual production remains a question.”
Last season, the Pelicans had the second-worst record in franchise history, going 21-61. Teague’s narrative is a familiar one throughout the league. The bar has been lowered so much for Zion, that just staying in shape is considered front page news. If Zion can focus and help the Pelicans considerably improve, injecting some life into the franchise, then he can begin to write a new narrative. It will take more than a few games to accomplish that as the franchise is in transition and Willie Green is trying to work miracles, while awaiting Dejounte Murray‘s return.
