Zion Williamson is setting the bar high for himself as he heads into the 2024-25 season, especially after a hamstring injury in the New Orleans Pelicans’ play-in tournament loss to the Lakers derailed what was looking like the best game of his career. He’s having the best offseason of his life, and in an interview with William Guillory of The Athletic, he fired up fans by saying, “I’m out for straight vengeance,” as he gears up for next season.

The sting from the Pelicans’ humiliation at the hands of LeBron James and the Lakers in the NBA Cup in-season tournament semifinals still hurts. The Lakers crushed the Pelicans 133-89, with LeBron dropping 30 points in less than three quarters while Williamson could only put up 13. That brutal 44-point loss hit him hard and has become one of the “key turning points” fueling his desire to make a comeback next season.

“(The In-Season Tournament loss) was definitely one of the key turning points in the season, and honestly, for me as a man in my career,” Williamson said, via The Athletic. “I’m watching (LeBron James) out here on the court, doing what he’s doing. I’m telling myself I want to be a player that has a high level of greatness — one of the greats. In that big moment, I didn’t show up. It hit me while the game was going on. I just looked up and said, ‘I didn’t show up.’ I don’t have any excuse,” Williamson told William Guillory.

In addition to that, he took a lot of heat from fans and the media for his lackluster performance and being out of shape, even though it was his first taste of a playoff-like atmosphere. Charles Barkley didn’t hold back, and remarked, “He’s got two guys on his team that are better players than him, and they shouldn’t be.”

Reports say he’s shed at least 25 pounds between that painful loss and mid-March when the Pelicans were fighting for a playoff spot. To his credit, he really showed what he’s capable of when the Pelicans squared off against the Lakers again in April during the in-season tournament for the NBA Championship.

Williamson’s 40-point game against the Lakers

Zion Williamson had a standout game against the Lakers last season, dropping 40 points and snagging 11 rebounds. The Lakers jumped out to a big lead, up by 18 points, but the 24-year-old wasn’t having it—he took control and erased that deficit with pure determination. His last bucket, a smooth lefty floater over Anthony Davis, tied the game with three minutes left.

Just when it seemed like he was about to lead the Pelicans to an epic comeback, disaster struck again. He felt a tweak in his left hamstring and knew his night was over. With him sidelined, the Pelicans couldn’t seal the deal, leaving fans crushed yet again. Even though the team made it to the playoffs, he was out with injuries for the rest of the season.

But all this heartbreak has only ignited Williamson’s fire for a strong comeback next season. The Pelicans had a rough playoff run last year, getting swept by the Thunder in the first round, and obviously, Williamson couldn’t contribute at all due to injuries. Still, if he can stay healthy and maintain this determination while matching his performance from last season—where he played 70 games—it could really propel the team to snag a playoff spot. What are your thoughts on him?