Zion Williamson and his struggles with weight issues have prompted a lot of opinions from all over the league. Rasheed Wallace also joined the conversation, during a recent appearance on the ‘Underdog NBA’ podcast, and gave his analysis of the situation. The 2019 first-overall pick has shown signs of brilliance on the court, however, Wallace believes “his weight” is still a major issue.
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Joining various others who criticized Zion for his weight, Wallace said, “Good talent but big fella struggling. It’s the weight thing. Once he got injured…it kept him out for a while and that’s when he put that weight on.” The 2004 NBA champion also went on to compare Zion’s situation with himself, when he had put on weight playing in Portland and faced several issues with his body.
The Detroit Pistons legend also compared Williamson to his college self, “when he used to play in Duke”, and “he was flying down that court”. However, Wallace pointed out that that spring in step is missing currently in Zion’s game. Rather, he now runs down the court with a timid hop, which is suggestive of some kind of an injury.
“Now he got to give me the hop, you he get the rebound its like kind of a hop to get it going, you know like the 57 chevy. So, to me that tells me there is something wrong right there-either it going to be the back, knee, or ankle, dealing with that weight cuz I mean we’ve all had it happen,” he said.
Wallace then recounted his days when he had put on weight, “When I had put on too much weight before, my back was hurting, my knees were hurting, like, ‘Alright let me get my a** up on this treadmill here.” He rightly pointed out the problems associated with gaining weight while playing in the league.
Questions around the fitness of Zion Williamson are not irrelevant. Legends like Rasheed Wallace have gone through similar situations in their careers. As it is said, “A smart man learns from other’s mistakes”, Williamson has to learn from the experiences that other athletes have accumulated all these years and not repeat them. However, there are some, who think the New Orleans Pelicans forward has no weight issues.
Shaq thinks Zion Williamson is not “out of shape”
In the lines of what Rasheed Wallace said, ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith also criticized the youngster for being overweight and stated, “As a professional athlete, its not a good sign.”
However, Shaq seems to be in support of Williamson amidst all the doubts about him. Speaking on the Rich Eisen Show, Shaq stated, “I don’t think he is out of shape.” He claimed that Zion didn’t have a weight issue, it was just that the forward needed to step up in crucial situations and take up the challenge.
Zion being in the same league as players like LeBron James and Steph Curry depends on his longevity and fitness. Even if he is giving his 100% on the court, a good physique will only act as a catalyst for his already good run.
