Stephen A. Smith called Zion Williamson a 'food addict,' is now feuding with the Pelicans on social

Williamson has been listed arsenic 6-foot-6, 284 pounds since New Orleans selected him retired of Duke with the No. 1 wide prime successful the 2019 draft. His value and fittingness level person been regularly criticized, and the magnitude of clip Williamson has missed due to the fact that of injuries hasn’t helped (including each of the 2021-22 play pursuing offseason close ft surgery).

After playing lone 30 games past play due to the fact that of a near hamstring strain and a little backmost injury, Williamson reported for 2025-26 looking trim and successful shape. He told reporters that helium and Pelicans trainer Daniel Bove had travel up with a strategy to code his fittingness portion rehabbing his hamstring and that helium stuck to it.

“I haven’t felt similar this since college, precocious school,” Williamson said astatine the time, “where I tin locomotion successful the gym and I’m similar just, ‘I consciousness good.’”

Williamson has played successful 46 of the Pelicans’ 63 games this season, already the third-most games helium has played successful his 7 NBA seasons. In a caller interrogation with ESPN’s Malika Andrews, Williamson addressed however the past disapproval affected him mentally.

“I would accidental the astir hard constituent was erstwhile I missed my 3rd twelvemonth with a breached foot, and determination was a batch of disapproval connected my weight, my attraction for the game, etc.,” Williamson said. “But ... portion radical were saying what they’re saying — and everybody’s entitled to their ain opinion, it is what it is — I’m successful Portland rehabbing, not knowing if my foot’s gonna heal, and it was frustrating. It was precise frustrating.

“I was low. I was truly debased due to the fact that I conscionable wanted to play basketball. I conscionable wanted to play the crippled I love, but each clip you crook the TV on, each clip I cheque my phone, it was thing but antagonistic criticism, man. At the time, it did a lot, similar I said, it did a lot, but it was a blessing successful disguise, and I learned from it and I grew from it.”