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Zion Williamson has been subjected to a ton of criticism over the past few years, and now, the Pelicans big man has found himself being mocked by fans courtesy of a chest tattoo that leaves a bit to be desired.
It’s been over four years since the New Orleans Pelicans selected Williamson with the first overall pick in the NBA Draft, and while the team was obviously hoping he’d become a franchise player who’d live up to the “generational talent” label that was bestowed upon him, it’s a bit hard to argue that’s been the case.
Williamson has certainly shown plenty of flashes of brilliance, but he’s seen his career hampered by the injuries that have routinely reared their ugly head. It’s also impossible to talk about his development (or lack thereof) without acknowledging the constant discussions about his weight and conditioning, a concern that’s becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.
You could argue he doesn’t deserve the mockery he’s been subjected to over that particular issue, but I think most people would agree he set himself up for the response he received to a new piece of ink he recently showed off.
On Wednesday, we learned Williamson decided to get a new tattoo in the form of a massive cross with the face of a lion in the middle that he presumably meant to get in the center of his chest. However, plenty of people quickly noticed a slight issue with the permanent piece of body art: it doesn’t appear to be centered.
Is it me or is Zion's tattoo supposed to be centered? pic.twitter.com/6d8Rc8Lqyh
— NBA Memes (@NBAMemes) December 28, 2023
While Williamson seemed to be pleased with the end result based on his reaction in the video, it’s very hard to ignore the placement.
The only possible explanation I can think of is that it’s located where it is because he’s attempting to communicate he has “the heart of a lion,” but feel like you have to prioritize aesthetics over anatomical correctness every single day of the week.