Stephen A. Smith’s weight criticism made Zion Williamson lose 25 pounds since NBA IST

Zion Williamson has given a remarkable performance for the New Orleans Pelicans this season and is leading his team to a clear playoff spot. Despite several injuries throughout his career, he seems to be in good shape and has played a total of 56 games this season.

But not everybody agrees with the fact that Zion is in ‘good shape’ this season, as ESPN TV personality Stephen A. Smith has given Zion a tough time about his physical shape and weight to play as a professional basketball player.

Zion Williamson reportedly lost weight since the NBA In-Season Tournament

Zion is no stranger to facing criticism for his weight, and despite his explosiveness, people often talk about its impact on his future and raise concerns for the same. Zion faced more scrutiny after his poor performance in the in-season tournament semis, where he only scored 13 points and the Pelicans faced a 44-point loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.

Since then, Zion has reportedly lost 25 pounds, and his improved physical performance has made a positive impact on the Pelicans’ winning streak this season.

ESPN’s Brian Windhorst acknowledged his improvement as an individual and said, “He’s not only playing better but also less, which may also be a big help. But the significant weight loss cannot be overlooked. It’s not simply a matter of gaining muscle as it has been previously touted.”

Previously, Stephen A. Smith has been among the critics who had commented on Zion Williamson’s weight.

What did Stephen A. Smith say about Zion Williamson’s weight?

Famous NBA analyst and ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith has been shedding his thoughts about Zion’s weight and how he’s unfit to play in the NBA with that constant weight gain. His constant attacks on the Pelicans’ team last week on ESPN’s Get Up were again revolving around Zion’s weight.

Stephen A. Smith said, “Zion Williamson, it’s not about his game. It’s about how many burgers he’s eating. Whether he is going to be in shape or keep eating McDonald’s… That’s what he has to prove—that the chefs don’t love him any longer.”

His comments further led to a social media war between him and the Pelicans, where the Pelicans trolled him for his stats during his playing days. This back-and-forth went on for a while. Ultimately, Stephen talked about his latest comments on Zion and how he was just kidding about the weight stuff, further defending his comments about Williamson.

Regardless of what anyone says, Zion Williamson and the Pelicans are currently the 5th seed in the West, have won 8 out of the last 9 matches this month, and are entering the playoffs as a deserving contender this season.