After the New Orleans Pelicans beat the Minnesota Timberwolves, Zion Williamson addressed NBA legends Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley’s comments about his conditioning.
O’Neal and Barkley said in Las Vegas during the NBA In-Season Tournament that Williamson wasn’t in shape.
“If it comes from a great place and a place where they just wanna see me do better, thank you,” Williamson said. “But if it comes from anywhere else, everybody entitled to their own opinion. Can’t control that. … At the end of the day, I can’t control what no grown man do. Can’t control what no grown adult does. All I can do is control things I can control, lock in on myself, lock in on my teammates, coaches and everybody with the Pelicans.”
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Zion Williamson, Shaquille O’Neal, Charles Barkley, New Orleans Pelicans Updates
Williamson went off against the Timberwolves in his first game since his disappointing outing versus the Los Angeles Lakers in Las Vegas. The lefty finished with 36 points, five rebounds and two assists while shooting 13-of-17 from the field and 10-of-12 from the free-throw line.
Williamson is now averaging 22.9 points, 5.6 rebounds and 4.7 assists on the season for the Pelicans while shooting 58.4% overall, 33.3% from beyond the arc and 65.8% from the foul line. New Orleans is 13-11, good for 10th place in the Western Conference standings.
The Pelicans signed Williamson to a five-year, $197 million extension in July 2022. Williamson has career averages of 25.4 points, 6.7 rebounds and 3.8 assists. He’s listed at 284 pounds, but most people around the NBA believe the two-time All-Star weighs more than that.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Zion Williamson, Shaquille O’Neal, Charles Barkley, New Orleans Pelicans Updates
It will be intriguing to see how many games the Pelicans win this season and how Williamson performs on a nightly basis. The Duke product is undoubtedly one of the most talented players in the NBA, but many critics and former players have talked about his weight now. At some point, Williamson will have to focus on his body.
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