“F**k all that negative”: Jose Alvarado backs teammate Zion Williamson, slams criticism from pundits & fans
New Orleans guard Jose Alvarado has voiced his support for Pelicans teammate Zion Williamson, who has been subjected to jokes regarding his weight and conditioning in recent weeks.
Most of these jokes came after Zion Williamson scored 13 points and grabbed just two rebounds in 25 minutes of play against their In-Season Tournament semifinals game against the LA Lakers, being outplayed by 38-year-old LeBron James, who had 30 points in just 22 minutes.
Alvarado said Williamson is aware of the criticism, and as teammates, they are united in support of him.
"He's human," Alvarado said. "He heard all that noise about that game in LA One thing about it: We can get on him. But the whole world, they trying to push him to be great. Obviously, we appreciate that. But f**k all that negative towards him. He's a human being.
After the Lakers game, Williamson acknowledged that he had to be better and more aggressive.
"I've got to be better. I've got to be more aggressive finding my shot,” Williamson said after the game. “I've got to do more things to get my team going. I think I was too laid back tonight. I can't do that. And defensively, I've got to be better."
Williamson has bounced back from his subpar performance against the Lakers, showcasing a season-high 36 points on 13-of-17 shooting in the Pelicans’ 121-107 victory against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday.
He recorded a double-double with 21 points and 11 rebounds in a 112-107 win over the Charlotte Hornets on Friday.
Report claims Zion Williamson neglected diet
According to a recent report, the Pelicans have consistently encouraged Zion Williamson to enhance his diet and conditioning, but he has not followed these recommendations.
According to Christian Clark of NOLA.com, despite repeated requests from the Pelicans for Zion Williamson to focus on improving his conditioning, he reportedly "doesn't listen" to these calls.
In the Pelicans-Lakers game broadcast, Shaquille O'Neal observed that Williamson appeared to lack intensity in his running. O'Neal also remarked that the Pelicans' star faces challenges in creating easy scoring opportunities, doesn't assertively demand the ball, lacks a determined demeanor, and falls short in rebounding.
“He doesn’t have that look,” O’Neal said about Williamson. “I know a look when I see it. Every sport has a look. Tiger Woods has that look. Jack Nicklaus had that look. He just doesn’t have that look. And he doesn’t rebound.”