NBA Rumors: Zion Williamson bothered about people calling him out for his work ethic and not his weight
Zion Williamson missed the entire 2021-22 season for the New Orleans Pelicans due to a foot injury. Williamson was criticized for gaining a lot of weight last season, which possibly slowed down his recovery. The latest NBA rumors suggest that the Pelicans star is not upset about criticism of his weight but rather questions about his work ethic.
According to William Guillory of The Athletic, Williamson is bothered about being called out for his work ethic or lack thereof. Guillory's report comes after news of a weight clause in Williamson's new contract with the Pelicans. The former No. 1 pick signed a a five-year, $193 million rookie max extension this offseason.
Zion Williamson reportedly has a “weight clause” in his new contract, per NOLA.com.
Why did the Pelicans add it and what are the potential consequences?
@WillGuillory weighs in: theathletic.com/3459763/?sourc… https://t.co/seaRjTg4As
Williamson's total contract could potentially rise to as much as $213 million if he's named to an All-NBA team next season. Christian Clark of NOLA.com was the first to report on the weight clause in the player's contract. The clause means Williamson will need his weight and body percentage to be below 295 throughout his contract duration.
The Pelicans currently list their star player at 285 pounds, which means he would need to have a body fat percentage of 10%. There were rumors Williamson blew up to more than 300 pounds last season. It was quite visible he put on weight while recovering from foot surgery, though.
However, despite all the criticism and mockery he has received, Williamson is determined to prove everyone wrong. Guillory notes that the Duke product hired a personal trainer and a private chef to help him. Several videos of Williamson have been uploaded online, and the player appears to be back in shape.
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Will Zion Williamson be back to full strength next season?
Zion Williamson can become one of the best players in the NBA. Williamson's strength and efficiency have been jaw-dropping when he has been healthy. He has played just 85 games but averages 25.7 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.2 assists.
Williamson shoots 60.4% from the field, 33.3% from beyond the arc and 68.3% from the charity stripe. He has 49 games with 20 or more points, failing to reach double digits in scoring only once in his short career. He also averages 0.81 points per minute, which is second all-time behind Joel Embiid (0.83) and ahead of Michael Jordan (0.72).
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If Williamson stays healthy and maintains his production, he could take the New Orleans Pelicans to an even higher level. The Pelicans rallied to make the playoffs last season. They gave the Phoenix Suns a few scares in the first round before getting eliminated in six games.
The Pelicans have young cornerstones such as Williamson, Brandon Ingram and Herb Jones. They also have a couple of veterans like CJ McCollum and Jonas Valanciunas. Even role players such as Jose Alvarado, Devonte' Graham and Jaxson Hayes are important for the Pelicans' success.