Zion Williamson was one of the most hyped prospects in NBA history when the Pelicans drafted him first overall out of Duke in 2019. But a string of injuries and the weight of expectation soon proved a heavy burden for the former college basketball Player of the Year.
Then there were the weight issues, with reports that the 6-foot-6 forward had ballooned to 330 pounds while he recovered from foot surgery last year.
All of it took a heavy emotional toll on the 22-year-old.
“I was in dark places at times because I couldn’t play basketball,” Williamson said in an interview with Sports Illustrated that was published on Tuesday. “I could only do limited rehab things. And then just seeing how the world reacted? It took a lot. It did a lot on my spirit.”
The highs and lows of his career have been as spectacular as they have been at times worrisome.
In his rookie year, Williamson tore his meniscus during preseason and missed the next three months. In the 24 games he did play, he averaged 22.5 points on 58.3 percent shooting, 6.3 rebounds and 2.1 assists to earn NBA All-Rookie First Team honors.
Williamson was even better the next season, averaging 27 points on 61.1 percent shooting, 7.2 rebounds, and 3.7 assists. He also earned his first All-Star nod. But that offseason, Williamson suffered a fracture in his right foot and despite New Orleans’ hopes that he would return at some point, he ultimately missed the entire season with the injury slow to heal.
But after two months of two-a-day workouts in Fort Lauderdale this offseason with strength and conditioning coach Jasper Bibbs, Williamson arrived at camp slimmed down and healthy.
“They’re going to see that I’ve matured off the court and on the court,” Williamson said of his critics. “And they’re also gonna see that my game has evolved. I’m gonna show the world things that I’ve had in my arsenal that I didn’t show before.”
That would be music to New Orleans’ ears.
Last season, the Pelicans rebounded from an abysmal 3-16 start before recovering to finish with 36 wins, then knocked off the Spurs and Clippers in the Play-In Tournament before taking the Suns to six games in the first round of the playoffs before being eliminated.
This season, the Western Conference is again loaded with elite teams. But New Orleans, which opens Oct. 19 at the Nets, should be even better with a healthy Williamson, the addition in the offseason of sharp-shooting CJ McCollum and a group that already included Brandon Ingram, Jonas Valanciunas and Larry Nance Jr.
Williamson is also eager to again prove the hype was warranted.
“I’m not done yet,” he said.
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