‘Just eat less’: NBA physical freak Zion Williamson fat-shamed

NBA star Zion Williamson was previously thought to have the most feared body in basketball — now his physique is a punchline.

NBA hulk Zion Williamson was supposed to be a transcending talent that could take over the NBA — but his story is now shifting towards questions of whether he can even cut it in the league.

The former No. 1 pick in the 2019 NBA Draft appears to have put on some kilos while recovering from a surgically repaired right foot fracture he suffered in the off-season.

New Orleans Vice President of basketball operations David Griffin had said at a media day in September that Williamson would be ready for the start of the regular season.

However, he has missed the Pelicans’ first 10 games this season, with the finger of blame being pointed straight at Williamson for the team’s disastrous 1-9 record.

As a result of the surgery, the 21-year-old has been unable to exercise and there have been persistent reports that his weight ballooned to over 300 pounds.

That would make him the heaviest player in the entire competition.

He entered the league as a teenager already the second heaviest player in the NBA, weighing in at 130kg (286 pounds). Only giants Tacko Fall and Boban Marjanovic are listed with carrying more kilos.

ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith said at the time when Williamson was drafted, there were already veteran NBA players scared of being run over by Williamson’s intimidating frame.

None of that mattered when his body was being heralded as a freak specimen on the back of his raw, explosive power and finesse. Now it seems to be the entire story.

NBA legend Charles Barkley recently said he is “really concerned” about Williamson’s weight.

He said of Williamson’s current appearance: “It looks like me and Shaq (Shaquille O’Neal) had a baby,” Barkley said.

Zion Williamson’s career has not gone as expected. Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images.

Kenny Smith, an ex-NBA player and high profile analyst on TNT’s popular “Inside the NBA” program, has now offered some advice to the 2019 NBA Draft No. 1 overall pick.

“The easiest part is, he’ll figure out how to eat less,” Smith told TMZ.

“It’s not hard, when it’s your profession. He puts the hours in to be a great basketball player. He’ll figure out those hours that he needs to keep his body right. It’s the same thing. It’s the same commitment. It’s not hard. Just eat less. It’s not hard at all for a guy who has that kind of discipline to be that great a player.”

It’s all part of the learning curve, according to Smith.

“Every player in their career is going to get hurt at some point,” he said. “In that time you gotta figure out how to stay in shape and stay in a basketball body. Obviously, he’s healing, but he’s not ready to play.”

As reported by The New York Post, Williamson has been battling against critics of his weight since he entered the league. Last January, in an interview with ESPN, Williamson called the criticism a “blessing”.

Photo by Jonathan Bachman / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / AFP.

“There’s really no comparison to me. I try to add every level to my game,” Williamson said. “My body is just built different. Some people try to look at it as a weakness, but I look at it as a blessing.

“People aren’t used to guarding this kind of size and I’m able to add a little finesse to my game so it has flavour and I’m a playmaker so I can create for my teammates and when I have to finish I’m gonna finish.”

Williamson is in his third season in the NBA after playing one year at Duke. While he has only played in 85 career games in that time, he has impressively made over 60 per cent of his field goal attempts.

Originally published as ‘Just eat less’: NBA physical freak Zion Williamson fat-shamed