Kevin Durant once said, “Hard work beats talent when talent fails to work hard.” That may seem a bit cliché at first glance, but it holds plenty of truth.
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Luka Doncic and Zion Williamson are two of the most talented players in the NBA. Unfortunately, they have received much criticism for their supposed lack of work ethic, specifically regarding their physical conditioning. Although they both have their issues, former Dallas Mavericks star Jim Jackson has greater concerns for one of the two players.
The Luka Doncic trade put extra spotlight on the Slovenian superstar. He got a lot of talk in Dallas, but the attention the Lakers receive is comparable only to the New York Knicks. Following LA’s disappointing first-round exit from the 2025 NBA playoffs, Doncic’s conditioning became a hotter topic than it had been in the past.
New Orleans Pelicans superstar Zion Williamson has also heard the same critiques. He has entered multiple seasons out of shape, and it’s evident in the number of games he has played — or hasn’t. Through six years in the NBA, Williamson has suited up in more than 30 games per season only twice. That is not a good trend for the face of the Pelicans franchise.
Jim Jackson played 14 years in the NBA and continues to cover the league as an analyst for the Los Angeles Clippers with Bally Sports West. From his experience and what he witnesses with the Clippers, Jackson feels today’s players have ample opportunity to get — and stay — in optimal shape.
“I travel with the Clippers. You’ve got any and every thing you need to be a top-tier athlete,” Jackson said on The Dan Patrick Show. “You got your trainers to work out with during the day. But it just goes back to discipline at the end of the day.”
Despite the question marks surrounding Doncic, he has shown he can be ready when it matters most. He led the Mavericks to two Western Conference Finals appearances in 2021 and 2024 and an NBA Finals appearance in 2024.
Aside from a few changes to his physique, Williamson has nothing to show that he has the discipline to be great. Jackson, therefore, believes the Lakers’ star is the more likely of the two to break the image that their critics have of them.
“Zion [has worse conditioning],” Jackson said. “Zion is still in the same place. He doesn’t have a role model there. Luka has LeBron.”
New Orleans hasn’t surrounded Williamson with the right leadership for him to reach his full potential, and that hasn’t changed ahead of the 2025-26 season. The ball is in Zion’s court to either prove Jackson wrong or continue to fuel the narratives surrounding his fitness or lack of it.
