After missing all of November and December with a hamstring injury, Zion Williamson has been a consistent force on the court. He suited up in 21 of the Pelicans’ last 3o games and recorded at least 20 points in his last 6 appearances, earning praise from everybody but Shaquille O’Neal.
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The Big Aristotle has been one of Williamson’s harshest critics over the last few years. O’Neal urged the two-time All-Star to shed some weight when he was struggling to consistently remain on the court and now that Zion has achieved that, Shaq’s goalposts for the 24-year-old have seemingly shifted.
Williamson helped the Pelicans secure a 127-120 win over the LA Clippers last night. His 22 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists highlighted all of his capabilities as a high-flying point forward. However, Shaq still expects more from the former #1 pick.
“You giving him props for that?” O’Neal said on TNT. “I need more. I need 26, 27 [points]. I demand, from my franchise player you paying the max. Don’t be giving props for 20 points. Anybody can get 20 points now.”
Shaq slams Zion’s 22-10-12 performance
"You giving him props for that? I need more. Anybody can get 20 points now. That's not good enough. I'm not impressed by that"😅
(h/t @ohnohedidnt24 ) pic.twitter.com/oJENda9hH5
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) March 12, 2025
There are 47 players averaging 20 or more points per game this season. In 2000, when Shaq won his sole MVP award, only 20 players crossed that mark. However, just because there are more 20-point scorers today doesn’t justify O’Neal’s criticism of Williamson.
The former Duke forward is averaging 25 points and 7 rebounds since returning from injury this season but Shaq believes he will need to do a lot more to carry his franchise.
“If they were in 3rd, 4th place and he got those numbers, I’m impressed. But I’m not impressed by that. You need to do more Zion,” the four-time NBA champion explained.
With an 18-48 record, even a historic stretch from Williamson wouldn’t be enough to lead his team to the postseason. Unlike Shaq though, Zion isn’t concerned by that yet.
Zion Williamson exuded confidence after triple-double
The New Orleans Pelicans faced some of the worst injury luck to begin the year. Their newest acquisition, Dejounte Murray, broke his hand during their first game of the season. Then the injury bug bit other rotational players like CJ McCollum, Herb Jones and eventually, Williamson himself.
However, now that he is finally finding consistency on the floor again, Zion isn’t focused on the criticism levied by O’Neal. His focus is on returning to the form that earned him All-Star selections in 2021 and 2023.
After notching his second career triple-double, the high-flyer resonated a positive outlook about his future. “When I’m myself, I don’t feel like nobody can stop me,” Z remarked.
It’s a welcome sight to see the 6’6” forward find his joy on the court again. Hopefully, O’Neal too can find joy in watching Williamson’s return to form. With the Pelicans campaign all but dusted, the remainder of their year can help Zion get some much needed reps and prepare for the 2025-26 season.
