Getty Image
Stephen A. Smith called out New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson about his weight and the New Orleans Pelicans have responded with a barb of their own.
During an episode of First Take, Smith was discussing whether or not there is pressure on Zion and made a comment about the third-year forward eating burgers from McDonald’s.
“It’s not about his game. It’s about how many burgers he’s eating. Whether he is going to be in shape or keep eating McDonald’s… That’s what he has to prove, that the chefs don’t love him any longer,” Smith said.
"Zion Williamson, it's not about his game. It's about how many burgers he's eating. Whether he is going to be in shape or keep eating McDonald's… That's what he has to prove, that the chefs don't love him any longer"
— Stephen A Smith on the pressure on Zion pic.twitter.com/ot0ejoeZTf
— Pelicans Film Room (@PelsFilmRoom) February 23, 2024
In response to Smith’s comments, the official New Orleans Pelicans account tweeted the infamous image of SAS’s career averages from when he played college basketball.
— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) February 23, 2024
This season, Zion’s fifth in the NBA — Williamson missed the entirety of the 2021-22 season due to injury — the former #1 overall pick is averaging 26 points, 7 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game.
However, Williamson has only played in a little more than half of the Pelicans’ games this year (29 of 56, at the time of publication) and has never played in more than 61 in a season. Despite Zion missing so many games, however, the Pelicans currently sit fifth in the NBA’s Western Conference with a record of 34-22 (at the time of publication.
For his career, Williamson is averaging 24.9 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 4 assists per game. Still just 23 years old, Williamson could still have a long and successful career ahead of him if he can get a handle on his fitness and begin to stay healthy for longer periods of time.