“I Respect Brutal Honesty”: 2 Years After Being Trolled by Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley for His Weight, 284 lb Zion Williamson Comes Clean on His Critics

New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson is one of the controversial figures of the contemporary NBA world. Apart from his ongoing controversy surrounding infidelity, the star has faced a lot of criticism for his fitness. The 2019 #1 draft pick looked out of shape in the last couple of seasons and missed a considerable amount of games due to injury. Besides that, he faced heavy trolling from the Inside Guys, Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal. However, the 23-year-old has finally decided to do some talking.

The Pelicans star has played only 114 games in his 3-season-long career and missed more than 100 games in the process. Even though he entered the league in 2019 with a grand hype surrounding his playmaking ability, it went down the drain when he lost his shape and succumbed to injuries. 

Years after facing Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley, Zion comes clean

When it comes to opinions on NBA ballers, Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley come out with brutal honesty. Two years ago, when the duo discussed Zion Williamson’s fitness, they had their own ways to express it. Shaq split into laughter when Chuck called 284 lb star, “Look like Shaq had a baby,” on live TV. Following that, Chuck spoke about the importance of fitness for a young baller. 

Years after facing trolls and amid a controversy with an ex-adult film actress, Williamson featured in Gil’s Arena podcast conversation. The star looked in great shape compared to his previous outing.

The hosts asked the 23-year-old how he worked on himself. The Pelicans star replied with a laidback answer and touched upon how he introspected his last few months. “I respect brutal honesty,” he said. “If you are honest with me, I know what to do to fix it.” 

The hosts ended the serious conversation with a compliment, “You look slimmer already, bro.”

Read More: “More like, Mounting Bench”: NBA Fans Rip 2x All-Star Zion Williamson To Shreds as Massive Life Update Goes Viral

Despite getting back into shape, there is another trouble for the Pelicans family from Williamson.

Williamson refused to make adjustment

In the run-up to the 2023-24 season, a report revealed that Williamson refused to make adjustments to his game. The star who relies more on his power and domination refused to add moves like floaters and jumpers to his skills.

The star’s continued dominant approach could fetch him more injuries in the future and puts a question on his longevity. 

Watch This Story: How Zion Williamson, Once Weighing More Than 7 FT Giant Shaquille O’Neal Nearly Ended His NBA Career

But after years of scrutiny, Williamson finally gets into shape for the upcoming season. So, will the fans witness the redemption of the star in the 2023-24 season?