Zion Williamson is one of the most promising young talents in the NBA today. He has all the skills necessary to be a dominant force in the league.
There’s just one problem: his weight.
For the entirety of his short pro career the one red flag regarding Williamson has been his size and the toll it would ultimately take on his body.
Surely enough, with the new NBA season on the horizon, Williamson is already set to miss time because of a right foot injury that required offseason surgery.
This isn’t the first time something like this has happened.
In 2019, Williamson suffered a torn meniscus in his right knee during the preseason that pushed his NBA debut to 2020.
It is difficult to ignore the role of Williamson’s physique in his injury woes. And matters weren’t helped any this week when photos emerged online showing just how rapid his weight gain has been since his rookie year.
Zion Williamson 2021 media day (top) and media day 2019 (bottom) pic.twitter.com/xrZ3GbxWjR
— ً (@LakerFern) October 14, 2021
The first photo shows Williamson now; the second is him in 2019. Yikes.
Naturally, fans had some reactions:
He ate is 2019 self. He gotta change to SF or he won’t last long in this leave at an unhealthy weight https://t.co/Dlzqd8EDV5
— Oliver (Ollie) Ellis (@yungolllieee) October 15, 2021
ALL DAT GUMBO https://t.co/CNCGLM7cvN
— MarQ (@Marco_BIBS) October 15, 2021
Hasn’t skipped a meal since he got drafted https://t.co/79qDdaJzXw
— kyle (@knicks_tape99) October 14, 2021
Zion: pic.twitter.com/zWerbPv2M0
— YourFather (@YourStepFather_) October 14, 2021
At a certain point, the Pelicans are going to have some tough decisions to make. They’re clearly worried sick right now that he will leave – and justifiably so. Between his annoyance with the organization and his open flirtation with one of the league’s preeminent franchises, Williamson hasn’t done much to inspire faith.
Rajon Rondo’s 4-word description of Russell Westbrook. https://t.co/nKoKbk8OXM
— Game 7 (@game7__) October 14, 2021
If he keeps getting hurt, and assuming he keeps quietly expressing his displeasure with how things are going with the Pelicans, at a certain point the front office will have to think about whether they’re fighting a losing battle with their young star.
Related: Dennis Schroder’s Dirty Play On Jimmy Butler Goes Viral (Video)
A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
