Having countered Charles Barkley’s criticism already, is Zion Williamson now ready to take on Dwyane Wade’s challenge? As most NBA fans would know, Williamson has, time and again, received criticism for not being in shape. But reportedly losing something between 25 to 40 pounds, he has countered that challenge this year. But, the 2x All-Star still faces a major issue. And Dwyane Wade did not hesitate to highlight it during a recent episode of his podcast.

Wade offered Williamson some straightforward advice—staying healthy is the real challenge. “He got one thing to prove… that he can stay healthy,” D-Wade said. Further pointing out that while Zion has undeniable talent, his long-term success depends on his ability to stay on the court.

If you have been following the recent updates, you’d know Zion Williamson’s health has, once again, become a concern for the Pelicans. The star forward missed his second consecutive game with hamstring soreness, watching from home as the Pelicans lost 118-100 to the Trail Blazers. If you’re a Pelicans fan, you’re probably asking—will Zanos be sidelined again? New Orleans kept him home on “doctor’s orders,” according to head coach Willie Green. Thus marking another game, Zion had to sit out — a familiar story for him.

The story of Williamson’s health has been a long one already. Remember last season’s Play-In Tournament game against the Lakers? The 2x All-Star couldn’t suit up then, either, after a hamstring injury limited him to just 29 games that season.

Coach Green says Zion is day-to-day, but fans wonder when Zanos will be healthy enough to play consistently. Amid such circumstances, Wade’s advice feels spot-on here. Although the Miami Heat icon understands there is not much that the 2x All-Star has in his hands to control his health, he highlighted “he (Zion) can do as much as he can and help control it.“ Seemingly, this is a reference to keeping his weight issues in constant check, which has landed him criticism in the past.

What did Charles Barkley have to say about Zion Williamson’s weight issues?

During the in-season tournament game between the Pelicans and Kings in December 2023, Barkley had a few things to get off his chest about Williamson. If you watched the halftime show, you know Barkley didn’t pull any punches. Zanos had just 2 points, two rebounds, two assists, and one steal by halftime. And his final stat line wasn’t much more impressive—10 points, six rebounds, six assists, and three steals.

This wasn’t enough for a player touted as the Pelicans’ next franchise star. And Barkley wasn’t shy about saying so. “He’s not in shape… doesn’t run… plays the game strictly on talent,” Chuck commented, visibly frustrated. If that wasn’t enough, he compared Zion to his teammates Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum, saying, “He (Zion) should be the best player, and he’s not even close.”

Zanos took a week to respond, only after an outstanding 33-point game in a win over the Timberwolves. His message for Chuck was loud and clear–“If it comes from a great place… thank you. But if it comes from anywhere else, everyone’s entitled to their own opinion.” 

Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal later explained that their critique was more of a push than a putdown, rooting for Zion Williamson to unlock his full potential. And boy, did he turn out the tables on his weight issues. Now, all that is left is to somehow counter the challenge addressed by Dwyane Wade as well. And we could be looking at Williamson at his max.