Zion Williamson is becoming one of the most anticipated stories of the 2025-2026 NBA season. The former No. 1 draft pick has wowed basketball audiences on the court, but has only played in a handful of games in the last six years. Why? Injuries and being out of shape.
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Now, the 25-year-old baller seems to be looking as healthy as he’s ever been since entering the league, determined to prove to the Pelicans organization that he can still be the face of the franchise. For starters, he shed a sizeable amount of weight this summer while maintaining his musculature, showing his commitment to being a healthy athlete.
But of course there was going to be someone who was skeptical of how he did it. Sports analyst and former NFL player Emmanuel Acho claimed that Zion used Ozempic to shed that weight, and even stated “I know Ozempic when I see it.” Well, that didn’t sit right with Kendrick Perkins. Big Perk shot back at Acho during an edition of Road Trippin.
“And I know a bull**** take when I see it. Real talk, that’s the **** that’s gotta stop man. You want to sit up here because you want a hot take, because you want to be funny,” shouted the one-time NBA Champion. Perk ain’t about that life and wanted to instead build Zion up.
“We’ve been tearing Zion down, and rightfully so. Accountability has to be there. He’s done a lot. I was one of them. But the thing that he did that we have to applaud, not only is he in physical shape. He has a different mentality now. He’s in a better place mentally.”
And he is right. It’s clear that Zion not only bettered his physical health, but his mental one too. “He cleaned house with all the people who was in charge,” added Perk, referring to the bad influences that he had surrounding him for too long. “Now you got Joe Dumars, you got Troy Weaver in there, in the front office.”
Perkins explained that Troy Weaver recruited him for the OKC Thunder and gave him some sound advice about cutting out his smoking habit. He feels that Weaver will do the same with Williamson.
“Troy Weaver is gonna have that type of connection and that type of conversation with Zion that Zion need. See Zion didn’t trust nobody in that organization last year.”
Perk ended his rant by expressing how excited he was to see the big man back on the court. “I’m excited to see Zion, and I’m proud of the hard for him to come back in shape. He took accountability and he looks phenomenal right now.”
Kendrick makes a good point. Zion enters this season carrying both the weight of expectation and the hope of redemption. Playing in just 129 games over the past four seasons, all eyes are on him. The skepticism will linger until he proves it night after night on the hardwood, but for the first time in years, the narrative feels different.
This isn’t just about potential anymore, it’s about maturity, accountability, and finally seizing the moment. If Zion can stay the course, the 2025–2026 season might not just be his comeback. It could be the year he cements himself as the superstar New Orleans always believed he could be.
