Drafted first overall back in 2019, Zion Williamson was one of the most highly touted prospects in NBA history. However, his first four seasons in the league have been rather disappointing. Spending more time on the bench than on the court thanks to several injuries, many believe his weight is what is holding him back. How heavy Zion is, has fluctuated ever since he entered the league, and is now hovering around 300 pounds. Seeing this, one former NBA star hypothesized on the TacoBout It podcast, that even LeBron James was once 300 pounds, and that Williamson’s $197,230,450 contract may hinge on that.
Advertisement
Zion has been very vocal about his weight recently. Discussing his issues, he revealed that he is looking to keep his weight and diet in check. In fact, he is looking to King James for inspiration. Citing the four-time NBA Champion’s $1,500,000 workout routine, the New Orleans Pelicans star hopes to follow his example.
Former NBA star Stanley Johnson claims Zion Williamson’s contract’s weight clause is related to LeBron James
Recently, former NBA star Stanley Johnson made an interesting suggestion on the TacoBout It podcast regarding LeBron James. He suggests that at one point in time, LeBron weighed around 300 pounds, much like Zion. The suggestion was quickly backed up by the podcast’s host.
The discussion started thanks to Zion Williamson. The Pelicans star has struggled with his weight and injuries in recent times. He currently weighs around 284 pounds and is inching closer to the 300 mark. But, Johnson believes there might be a reason for that. According to the former Detroit Pistons star, Zion may have a weight clause in his $197,230,450 contract that stemmed from King James.
Williamson, who has only played 114 games in his four-year NBA career, has averaged 26 points, seven rebounds, and four assists per game. However, it is believed that the Pelicans have inserted a weight clause, that requires him to stay below 295 pounds. Failing to do so, would see the guaranteed money in his five-year contract decrease significantly. The following is what was said on the podcast.
Stanley Johnson: “How much do you think he weighed? You’re the LeBron fanatic in the house!”
Host: “He was 300 pounds!”
Stanley Johnson: “Thank you! I believe him and Zion have weighed the same size at some point in time. I think they made the clause in Zion’s contract off of LeBron!”
Host: “What was the clause?”
Stanley Johnson: “His weight clause!”
The 6’6″ power forward has received quite a bit of flack thanks to his weight struggles. Even NBA legends like Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley have clowned him for picking up the pounds, going so far as to suggest he looks like their baby. Unfortunately for the Pelicans man, he will have to work hard if he wants to return to being one of the top stars in the NBA. However, as soon as he loses some weight, his talent is sure to challenge even the very top of the NBA almost immediately.
Charles Barkley gave Zion some sound advice about how to lose weight
Despite joking about his weight gain, Charles Barkley admitted he hopes Zion Williamson can improve himself. Much like the Pelicans star, ‘Chuck’ also struggled with his weight when he played in the NBA. As such, he knows what it takes to overcome such problems. And so, he gave Williamson some sound advice.
Barkley revealed that when he was experiencing problems with his weight, he used his $2 Million contract as motivation to shed the pounds he needed to. After watching Williamson’s situation shake out so similarly to his own, the NBA legend revealed that he hopes that Zion can take a page out of his book.
At the end of the day, everything is in Zion’s hands. Only he can turn things around and become the NBA superstar he is meant to be. Hopefully, he can get his act together and have a long and successful career.
