Zion Williamson has become one of the biggest talking points in basketball since his 13-point performance in the In-Season Tournament semifinal loss to the Lakers. While people keep speculating about his weight and fitness, Patrick Beverley was more upset about Zion not showing aggression and wanting to take the LeBron James matchup seriously.
“I’m disappointed in Zion. I wanted him to go at LeBron, I understand he was taking charges, but you’ve got to maneuver around that. I really wanted Zion to take that next step. That was the perfect time to do it. He was passive… I just want to see him be more dominant, that was his moment. There aren’t too many opportunities in this league.”
LeBron is one of the players that most young players want to target, especially on defense. We just saw Anthony Edwards express his disappointment over the Lakers not letting him and LeBron go one-on-one with each other. Zion had that opportunity and fumbled it, looking intimidated by the Lakers and LeBron, passing the ball off instead of trying to figure out ways to attack LeBron in one-on-one coverage.
Williamson scored 13 points on great efficiency but just looked disengaged and wary of picking up fouls. Zion picked up three offensive fouls on charges while facing LeBron, prompting him to essentially check out mentally in a game his team lost by 44 points.
Zion Williamson Facing Heavy Criticism For His Weight
Over the last week, multiple names in the NBA world have attacked Zion for not taking the game seriously. A report circulated that the Pelicans are not happy with the shape he’s in, a former trainer was making jokes about his workout habits, and even Charles Barkley said he succeeds strictly on talent, not because of his conditioning.
The most egregious criticism came from Stephen A. Smith, who went on a personal rant about Zion’s eating habits in New Orleans.
“The conditioning, I saw the brother go to the free throw line, he looked like he had a belly. It is shameful. You got chefs in New Orleans — I’m not exaggerating, I’m quoting people — You got chefs in New Orleans who love him. They’re looking for him. Every chef there wants to meet him because they know he’ll show up at their restaurant. The word out on Zion Williamson is that he’ll eat the table.”
Naturally, these comments blur lines of professionalism but are a testament to the frustration people have with Zion’s habits. He was supposed to be the next face of the NBA and is supremely talented on the court. But he’s being held back by his poor conditioning and weight, which is also making him more injury-prone.
The excessive criticism in recent months could be used as a motivating factor for Zion, who is already claiming that he isn’t bothered by the fat jokes made at his expense and that the best of his game is yet to come.
Zion is averaging 22.9 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 4.7 assists this season. He’s still one of the best forwards in the NBA, but he isn’t walking into the All-Star team as easily as he had in past seasons. The Pels are currently 14-11 and the 9th seed in the West, leaving a lot of room for improvement for Zion and the team as a whole.
