The last time we saw Zion Williamson, he was proving to be the star that the Pelicans bet on in 2019. It was a Play-In game against the Lakers, and the power forward helped overturn an 18-point deficit, scoring 40 points in the process. But as unreal a showing as that was, it ended the same way most of Williamson’s seasons have.

He limped off the court with a little over 3 minutes left on the clock. It was a season-ending hamstring injury. Fast forward to now, and instead of being the talk of the town for his frequent injuries, Zion Williamson is making waves owing to his dramatic weight loss. Turns out, he’s lost 25 pounds or so since the In-Season Tournament last December, and per reports, the change is showing on the court.

But as he’s finally starting to meet the high expectations set for him, NBA legend Carmelo Anthony strikes in with a tough reminder for Williamson, a reality check of sorts: “It’s not getting in shape, it’s remaining in shape. It’s remaining fit. You’re gonna get there, but are you gonna keep that going?” Even though Williamson has dropped to 281 pounds, 4 pounds less than what he weighed at Duke – and plans to hit the 272 mark before the season starts – the job is far from finished, per Anthony.

Long before Zion entered the league, he was deemed the next big thing. Yes, there is no shortage of talent, as he dominates every time he is on the floor. However, he has yet to meet people’s expectations because of availability issues.

In just five years, Zion has already missed an entire season because of a foot injury and has played fewer than 30 games in two separate seasons. Health has always been a major concern for the young star. Carmelo Anthony, speaking on the 7PM in Brooklyn podcast, reminded Zion of the long road ahead: “It’s a long season, and you really gotta put the work in to remain that way. There’s no days off.”

Though Zion appears to be in great shape now, the Knicks legend emphasized the importance of maintaining that dedication throughout the season, avoiding the pitfalls of the past. “Now he coming back and… showing yourself that I’m taking it serious now. I’m done having fun my first couple of years of doing it however way I wanted to do it. Now it’s business.” And while the 24-year-old means business this season, his health is also linked to business in its actual sense.

Back in 2022, Zion Williamson signed a five-year extension with the Pelicans worth $197 million. However, considering he missed most of his rookie season and the entirety of 2021-22, the team negotiated certain clauses into the deal to protect itself. These were concerning the forward’s health and conditioning. Per the contract, the final three years aren’t guaranteed. This clause was triggered after Williamson played only 29 games in 2022-23. What does that mean?

After the first two years of his deal, the Pelicans will have the power to let him go without any financial consequences. But is there any way Williamson can re-guarantee the final three years of his deal? The Pelicans will guarantee 20% of his salary if he passes all six of his weigh-in checkpoints in the upcoming season, as reported by The Athletic. 

Under Zion Williamson’s contract, the sum of his weight in pounds and his body fat percentage should be less than 295. Considering he’s hit the 281 mark now, his body fat percentage can’t be more than 13%. But seeing as he’s striving to reach 272 at the start of the season – if he achieves the feat – that percentage can be anything under 23%. But that’s not all.

To guarantee another 40% of his contract for 2025-26, Williamson will have to play in at least 41 games this season. If he plays in 51 games, that’ll guarantee another 20% of his salary. And if he plays 61 games, it’ll re-guarantee his deal for 2025-26. As for the two years after that, Williamson will have to hit these same benchmarks in the seasons before.

With Zion no longer a ‘young upcoming talent’ but rather a veteran in the league, the pressure is on him to deliver results for the Pelicans.

Zion Williamson has his eyes set on the ultimate prize with the Pels

They say availability is the best ability. Yes, Zion is a career 24.7-point scorer and a two-time All-Star. But those accolades and numbers mean nothing if he cannot stay healthy for an entire season. Sure enough, it looks like the hooper has finally grasped this concept. Even though he has already lost significant weight, the forward reportedly plans on reducing it to 272 pounds before the season tips off. And this could help him elevate his game to the next level.

Even with a solid roster, he has never won a playoff series in his career. Moreover, while the Pels made it to the postseason this year, Zion injured his hamstring during the Play-In game against the Lakers, leaving his team helpless once again.

As a result, the team got swept into the opening series by OKC. But the new bearded and shredded Zion has bold ambitions for next season, “I wanna win it all. I’d be lying if I said anything else. I want my team and myself to win it all.” Although the Pelicans have the talent to make a deep run, more so with the addition of Dejounte Murray, they might only reach that goal if Zion follows Melo’s wisdom and stays in shape for the entire season. Do you agree?

Before you go, do not forget to check out this crossover between BG12 and Georgia Bulldogs star Asia Avinger