Sports pundits are already asking if Zion Williamson, a first draft for the New Orleans Pelicans in the 2019 National Basketball Association draft, is a bust.
Like the former No.1 pick, Greg Oden, Williamson has spent most of his NBA career on the sidelines and has not suited up for the Pelicans even once this year. This has put his upcoming $181 million contract renewal in the doubt zone.
Former Duke University star Williamson has been compared to LeBron James for his ability to dominate almost any opponent and to get joy from empowering those around him. A year ago, Williamson was on track to become the NBA’s next generational star just by being himself, USAToday reported on March 24, 2021.
However, foot injuries have grounded Williamson and social media users often make references to his weight as being an issue.
In the third season of his four-year rookie deal, Williamson is months away from being eligible for a rookie max extension and the Pelicans must decide whether they want to pay him and build a future around him.
“At what point is someone declared a bust? Williamson is 21 years old and has already amassed a cocktail of injuries,” a Reddit user wrote months ago. “He has also missed almost as much game as he has played, which is ridiculous. So, I will give Zion 2 -3 more years, and if he continues on the same path, I will have no choice but to declare him a bust.”
Last season, the 6-foot-6, 284-pound forward played 61 games, averaging 33.2 minutes, and put up 27.0 points and 7.2 rebounds. He looked like the blossoming star the Pelicans expected him to be.
Williamson’s weight has also been a cause for concern. Pictures snapped of the power forward in December 2021 added fuel to a never-ending saga about his weight issues and quickly made the rounds online in what turned into a fat-shaming session. He fractured his foot during the offseason and ended up needing surgery.
Speculation has been rife that Williamson could be on his way out of the Pels lineup. Will the team be willing to bet on him for another season? Is he taking up space that could be filled with other talent such as Brandon Ingram, Jonas Valanciunas, and now CJ McCollum.
There are also questions about whether another team will be willing to stick its neck out for Williamson with his weight and injury issues.
Here are things that weigh on Williamson’s future:
There is a chance that Williamson could be headed for another surgery, according to Christian Clark of The Times-Picayune. Clark reported that Williamson, who experienced soreness in his foot when he returned to practice in December, was scheduled to undergo another round of medical imaging this March.
It was confirmed that Williamson will not return to play this season due to his nagging foot injury. While disappointing, the news was not a surprise to many.
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Williamson is widely expected to sign a $17.6 million one-year qualifying offer that could extend his contract for the 2023-2024 season, making him an unrestricted free agent in 2024, according to Front Office Sports. If his $181 million ($31.2 million annually) five-year offer fails to materialize and no extension is signed, he would be a restricted agent in 2023.
There is a silver lining to this cloud, according to a Yahoo!Sport report that Williamson learned in early March he did not need a second surgery on his foot and was cleared for full basketball activities. He was later seen “doing stationary shooting” and actually putting weight on his foot.
Even with the positive news, it is still unlikely that Williamson will be back playing this season. The Pelicans have just 11 regular-season games left to play.
Photo: Zion Williamson, Jan. 28, 2020 by Erik Drost, https://www.flickr.com/photos/edrost88/, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/