The New Orleans Pelicans held their media day and Zion Williamson stole all of the attention.
Williamson appeared to be noticeably slimmer compared to the last time he was in the public eye.
Not only will the new-look Williamson be healthy, but he will also have a new teammate in Jordan Poole who the Pelicans acquired in an offseason trade.
For as good as the Pelicans look on paper, their success will be dependent on whether Williamson can stay healthy, something he hasn’t been able to do.
Jeff Teague sounds off on Zion Williamson ‘he has the ability to get in shape, money to hire chef’ and has everything he needs to be ‘successful’
Since the Pelicans had their media day, Williamson has gotten almost all of the spotlight.
Fans and media members are already speculating the kind of season a healthy, in-shape Williamson can have.
However, Jeff Teague wasn’t quick to praise what he heard and saw from Williamson. He talked about the buzz surrounding Williamson’s transformation on the Club 520 Podcast.
“It’s probably the dumbest press conference I ever heard in my life. All this stuff is because of you. You choose to eat, be out of shape, all that.
“Now all of a sudden it’s a contract year probably or he looking for extension. All of a sudden he in shape and they believe in me. Fool. They gave you a max deal. They been believed in you.
“But they had to put all them options on there because you didn’t believe in you. Like that’s dumb as h***. That press conference dumb.
“You get paid d*** near $40 million a year to be in shape. And I ain’t even trying to sound like a old head. It’s just that like you do a press conference and say, “Yeah, I feel the best I ever felt since college.” Like, you choose to feel that way, Teague added.
“So, obviously, if he play well, they’re going to pick up his options. I’m sure they’re going to keep picking him up, but if he play well, it’ll take a lot of fire off of him.
But for him to be a superstar and generational talent when he came out of college. Yeah. And for us to not even get a full season out of all the years he been there, man, it’s trash to me.
“Yeah. Especially when you can do it. You got the ability to get in shape. You got the money to hire a chef. He got everything he need to be successful.”
Zion Williamson needs to prove he can stay healthy
Since entering the league in 2019-20, Williamson has played more than 30 games only twice in his career.
Williamson played just 30 games last season as he was shut down on March 31.
This offseason, Williamson has done what he has needed to do to lose weight and get stronger.
Pelicans fans are thirsting to see what a healthy Williamson can do and if he can stay healthy.
If head coach Willie Green and the Pelicans want any shot to compete in the Western Conference this season, they need the best version of Williamson.
