Ever since Zion Williamson stepped into the league with the New Orleans Pelicans; fans have had high hopes for him. However, in his first preseason itself, he had torn his meniscus in October 2019. Reason? The NBA community targeted his large physique, blaming his lack of dedication to remain in shape. Then, NBA legend Carmelo Anthony came to support the Pelicans star in the fall of last year. In Carmelo’s words, “From the beginning, there was so much put on Zion, like thrown at him.” But as the coal turns into a diamond because of constant pressure over an extended period, Zion has come out in better shape!

Recently, a viral image with Zion and his little fans showcased his shredded physique. Zion, who always used to have buffed hands and biceps, somehow seemed lean. He has been on a mission in 2024 to reduce every unnecessary muscle mass in his body. Till March, he notably reduced his weight by 25lbs! And with the recent image on platform X, it seems that the count has gone further. Overcoming one of the biggest criticisms, Zion had nothing but praise for the hands that clapped for him.

A reporter named Chapel Fowler shared an interaction between kids and Zion Williamson. It was at the Pelicans camp in Spartanburg. Zion, a great defender and scorer, racked up 22.6 points last season with just under 6 rebounds and 5 assists. And these are the stats when he was out of shape.

So when a kid asked the Pelicans’ ace about the best players he has guarded, Zion replied, “Carmelo Anthony and LeBron,” showing respect for the icon that once supported him.

He did not get to face prime Carmelo because 3 years after Zion’s draft, Melo retired. “You [are] not gonna have that longevity that we are talking about if you don’t have that discipline… my message to Zion is discipline, do what you gotta do and embrace the white hat,” Anthony had said about the young gun, motivating him amidst all the criticism around.

Coming to the transformation, why has Zion Williamson been alienated by the media this offseason?

Why is Zion Williamson not in the headlines this summer?

The transformation might be the biggest reason Zanos is out of any kind of media attention. He has been a concern for the Pelicans because of his injury history. Notably, the Pelicans star has injured himself about 35 times in his career. Most of those injuries are related to his knee, ankle, or foot. No doubt his overall body weight and physique also ended up taking a hit. Or frankly, his weight was not apt for his body. That’s why he was inconsistent with his performances, too.

After the post-season snub last year, losing to OKC, Zion was infuriated with himself. It was “super demoralizing” for him as “the whole time,” he “kept envisioning” himself in the game. But it was not as bad as Zion thought it was. He got to play a career-high 70 games last season thanks to his focus on fitness. However, in the 2022-23 season, he only got to play 29 games because of his foot and hamstring injury.

The 24-year-old just needed a ray of sunshine. And it seems Zion Williamson got that last season in LeBron’s $1.5 million workout regimen. In his words, “Bron got the blueprint, I’m trying my best to follow that, man.” That’s why he is more focused on getting the best out of himself next season. If that happens, the Pelicans ace might be the next big thing that people expected him to be.

Predictions?