As Zion Williamson faces a lot of hate amid his weight issues, NOLA teammate Jaxson Hayes reveals how he keeps the All-Star encouraged with his words.
Advertisement
This past summer, Zion Williamson was the butt of all jokes after a photo of him looking overweight had gone viral. Soon later, reports had suggested that the Pels forward has crossed the 300-pound mark. Over the course of this young season, more photos of “Zanos” looking even more obese than the previous one kept breaking the internet.
As time passed by, trolls became even more brutal with their jokes. People lost all sympathy for an injured 21-year-old kid. Recently, Swim Cash, Pels’ VP of basketball operations and team development, spoke his mind out, defending his star player from all the “clown behavior”.
“Imagine photoshopping a 21yr old every chance you get and leaving harsh comments for likes. Whew the clown behavior really is shocking Especially from adults!”
More recently, teammate Jaxson Hayes too gave his two cents on the whole Williamson fiasco.
Also Read: Devin Booker and co demolish LaMelo Ball and the Hornets by 31 points
“Everyone’s been trying to fry Zion Williamson”: Jaxson Hayes
As if Twitter trolls were not enough, the southpaw gets ridiculed by fans during the games. Hayes spoke about how he encourages his fellow teammate amid the whole weight issue while defending him from the naysayers. Jaxson told The Athletic:
“It’s crazy, because everyone’s been trying to fry him. I know he’s trying to ignore all that stuff and do what he has to do. When we’re sitting at the game, people are yelling stuff at him. I just tell him, “Bro, they’re just mad because they’re not in your shoes.” That’s all you can tell him. We all know how much he wants to play. He’s doing all he can to get back right. But there’s nothing we can do until he’s healthy. We just have to be there to support him.”
Zion has now sat out more games in his professional career than he has played on the court. He recently received an injection to promote bone healing in his right foot. Because of this, he surely will be out for a minimum of 4-6 weeks.
With only 10 wins and 21 losses, NOLA has clearly been struggling without their star forward. Placed 14th in the Western Conference, it is highly unlikely they make a playoff push and will end up missing out on the postseason for the 4th straight campaign.
