Another HOF athlete questions Zion's commitment

New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson Nell Redmond-USA TODAY Sports

Another Hall of Fame athlete questions Zion Williamson's commitment

By Adam Taylor | Last updated 12/22/23

The questions surrounding Zion Williamson's weight management won't go away.

In recent weeks, media members and former players have questioned the former Duke standout's fitness and conditioning . Shannon Sharpe is the latest to share his thoughts on Williamson's fitness struggles. The Hall of Fame tight end questioned whether Williamson loves the game of basketball during a recent episode of ESPN's "First Take."

"Does he really want to play basketball?... If he loved the game of basketball, he would get his weight under control," Sharpe said. "He would take training seriously. There is no possible way you can say you love something and then go out and do the opposite of what you're saying...He missed 53 games (last season.) The fact is, I've never had a weight clause. I haven't had any kind of clause in my contract...It's embarrassing because this man has all the assets to get a personal chef, to have the best trainer. You can get all that, the personal chef, the personal trainer. What about personal accountability?"

"If [Zion] loved the game of basketball, he would get his weight under control, he would take training serious."@ShannonSharpe sounded off on Zion Williamson @FirstTake pic.twitter.com/q7HYJcMn6E
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) December 22, 2023

There is a belief that Williamson's lack of commitment to keeping a healthy routine and nutrition plan is part of the reason he continues to miss long stretches of time, and it's left him with a poor reputation. It also could affect his future earning potential and opportunities to named an All-Star or All-NBA talent.

Williamson's development isn't where most people expected it to be by now. He entered the NBA as a potential superstar, somebody who could legitimately be the next face of the NBA for a decade or more. Instead, his progress has stalled, and the New Orleans Pelicans are yet to reap the rewards of drafting him with the first overall pick in 2019.

At 23 years old, Williamson still has time to get his career back on track. Proving the doubters wrong and taking control of his fitness regime are the first steps toward achieving that goal.

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