New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson has been the subject of criticism his entire career. Most of the time, it’s because of his lack of proper physical conditioning. Because of this, he’s often dealt with lower-body injuries. He has experienced difficulties that have prevented him from playing for his team most of the time, even during the playoffs.
Williamson was drafted by the Pelicans in 2019 and has had two playoff appearances. However, the former Duke star has not been part of any of it, since he’s always on the sidelines. Last season, Williamson only appeared in 30 games, averaging 24.6 points, 7.2 rebounds and 5.3 assists.
For the upcoming season, Williamson has prepared his body to be able to be available for his teammates. During the team’s media day on Tuesday, the two-time All-Star talked about what’s new for him for the 2025-26 campaign.
Williamson talked about working with the Pelicans’ Director of Performance, Daniel Bove, during the offseason. According to him, it helped his conditioning issue over the summer.
“We came up with a plan from boxing to working out on the football field a lot to just different random workouts,” Williamson said. “And during that timeframe last year, I really felt a shift in my body to where I would look at him and go, ‘Dude, it feels good to feel good.’
“I haven’t felt like this since college, high school, just where I can walk into a gym and I feel good.”
The 6-foot-6 forward is ready to be a significant contributor for the New Orleans Pelicans next season.
“Whatever my team needs,” Williamson added. “That’s what I’ll do.”
Williamson is going to be held accountable by the New Orleans Pelicans
In the past, Williamson has proven that he’s capable of being a star in the NBA. However, he struggles to stay healthy and available for his team. Often, fans, critics and his team have been disappointed in how he’s handled things.
This time, it will be different, according to the New Orleans Pelicans star. He’s had time to talk to the executive vice president of basketball operations, Joe Dumars, and the senior vice president of basketball operations, Troy Weaver.
“We sat down and we had some man-to-man conversations,” Williamson said. “They embraced me. I just told them, ‘I’m not gonna let y’all down.’
“If they believe in me that much, it was — it helped a lot. It helped a lot that they really believed in me. And like I said, man-to-man conversations. They’re gonna hold me accountable. But with that accountability, they’re giving me a lot of responsibilities. And I’m here for it.”
For next season, Williamson is determined to prove the doubters wrong and become an integral part of the team’s success.
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Reign also writes NBA and WNBA news updates on Sportskeeda. He started as a feature writer for AirAlamo, an NBA website that covers the San Antonio Spurs. Some of his work can also be seen on Valley of the Suns, a Phoenix Suns-centric website, where he served as a contributing writer.
