New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson. Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

The goodwill afforded to Zion Williamson is running out

By Adam Taylor | Last updated Jan 18, 2025 3:00 PM ET

Zion Williamson is in his sixth NBA season. The former Duke Blue Devils standout has spent most of his professional career on the New Orleans Pelicans injury report. Despite entering the league in 2019, Williamson has played just 194 regular-season games.

NBA fans were excited for Williamson's addition to the NBA when he was originally drafted. His unique build and skill set meant he could emerge as a top-three player in the world. Yet, that excitement has now morphed into disappointment and frustration. Now, it would appear Williamson is losing the goodwill many afforded him over recent years.

That lack of support has never been clearer than in Carmelo Anthony's recent comments. He was discussing Williamson during a recent episode of his "7PM in Brooklyn" podcast.

“With Zion, in my opinion, everybody always coveted him,” Anthony said. “He doesn’t have the resume that we all would be looking for at this point in his career, but he has the star power. So when you have the star power, everything else comes with that ... We fought for player empowerment, taking a stand, sitting in lockouts and sitting across these owners and really figuring out the business of this game. But this is like the dark side to it.”

Williamson is rumored to prefer a role on a big-market roster. The bright lights of New York or Los Angeles are reportedly a significant draw for him. However, he's gone about things all wrong. His best option was to prove himself as an unstoppable force on a basketball court, keep his body in elite shape and prove he could sustain the physicality that comes with the NBA's difficult schedule.

If Williamson had done those things, he could control his own future. Instead, any top-tier roster is going to have misgivings about potentially acquiring him. The Pelicans won't let their former top draft pick leave for nothing. Unfortunately, Williamson's value around the NBA has never been lower.

Yes, Williamson is a star-level name. Yet his production is questionable. Now, with former players questioning his commitment and resume, his reputation is going to take another blow. Williamson has been afforded six years of goodwill by current and former players along with the wider NBA fanbase. If that goodwill is running out, he must start proving himself or risk becoming one of the most forgotten stars of his generation.

Adam Taylor

Adam Taylor is a sports journalist based out of the UK. Adam has been covering the NBA for nearly a decade with a core focus on the Boston Celtics. He currently holds bylines with Yardbarker, SB Nation and USA Today

More must-reads: