Pelicans star Zion Williamson poised to silence critics this season

It's fair to say that NewOrleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson hasn't had the ideal startto his young NBA career.

Playing in just 114 games acrossfour seasons, injuries have kept Williamson from solidifyinghimself as a top player in the NBA. However, when healthy, Zion hasproduced at a high level and his play has certainly silenced anydoubts about his long-term potential.

During the 2020-21 season – justhis second year in the league – Williamson averaged 27 points on61.1% from the field, setting the NBA record for highestpoints-per-game total for a player shooting above 60% from thefield. The 6-foot-7 forward averaged 20.3 points in the paint thatyear, the most since 7-foot-1 center Shaquille O’Neal in 2000 (whenO’Neal won the NBA's MVP award). Williamson also led the league inlayups with 441, which was 170 more than the next-closest player(Giannis Antetokounmpo).

Last season, after only playingin 29 games, Williamson was named an All-Star starter afteraveraging 26.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 4.6 assists pergame.

Zion’s issues clearly are notabout his production on the court, but rather how to keep himthere.

That terrific sophomore seasonwas cut short due to a fractured thumb, and then Zion missed thefollowing season with a Jones fracture in his right foot. WhileWilliamson was voted an All-Star starter last year, a hamstringinjury kept him out of the All-Star game and then caused him tomiss the remainder of the season.

Williamson's injury history isconcerning as is, but these long stints spent recovering have alsobrought skepticism. Questions have surfaced about Williamson’sweight, with reports back in 2021 suggesting that Zion was over 300pounds. Other reports suggested that Williamson was not taking hisweight control seriously.

In fact, the Pelicans even addedweight-related stipulations to his five-year, $193 million maxcontract. Williamson hasperiodic weigh-ins and “the sum of hisweight and body fat percentage must be below 295,” according toChristian Clark ofNOLA.com.If this number is above 295, the team can reducehis guaranteed money.

Williamson recently spoke out toGilbert Arenas about his struggles with proper dieting on "Gil'sArena."

“There are times when I willsay, ‘Man, that sh*t hard. It's hard, man... Feeling like all themoney in the world [won't help], man. It is hard," Williamsonsaid. "But I’m at that point now where,because of certain things, I’m putting back wisdom around me – abunch of, I don't want to say 'older' [people] because they takeoffense to it, but I'm just putting people around me with wisdom,who put me on game to certain things and just go fromthere.”

With the former No. 1 overallpick looking to be in incredible shape based on recent photos fromhis offseason workouts, the league may be at Williamson’s mercyonce again. Zion’s dominant play last year led the Pelicans to thetop seed in the Western Conference for some time inDecember.

If he is truly as healthy and inshape as he looks, this could be the year the league must finallyacknowledge Zion Williamson.