Andrew Lopez | ESPN Jul 11, 2023, 5:24 PM ETRead: 3 min.
New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson knows his battle to stay on the court will require discipline, but he admitted Monday night that’s been a struggle so far in his young NBA career.
In a surprise appearance on the ‘Gil’s Arena’ podcast, hosted by Gilbert Arenas, Williamson discussed dealing with the issues that have limited him to 114 regular-season games in four years. He was asked about eating healthy to stay fit.
“It’s tough, man,” Williamson said. “I’m 20, 22 years old, I have all the money in the world, well, it feels like all the money in the world. It’s hard.”
“I’m at that point now, because of certain things, I’m putting wisdom back around me. I don’t want to say older people because they get defensive, but I’m putting people around me with wisdom and just go from there.”
Zion Williamson watches from the bench during a game between the Pelicans and the Wizards in the 2023 regular season. Photo: Getty
Williamson, who weighs 284 pounds (112.4 kilograms), said some of his problems go back to having that “invincible trait” where you feel like nothing can stop you when you’re young. He said that he had to think about the people around him and listen to those who really want to help him.
Williamson played in just 29 games last season, missing the last 45 due to a hamstring injury sustained on Jan. 2. After he was initially expected to return around the All-Star break, he reinjured his hamstring and was never able to get back on the court.
Before the 2021-22 season, Williamson broke his foot. He was scheduled to return during the season, but was never cleared and missed the entire season.
During exit interviews in April, Pelicans executive vice president of basketball operations David Griffin said that for Williamson to be more available, “a lot of it depends on him.”
“I think there’s a lot of things he can do better and I think I would tell you. I think we need to do a better job of looking at the whole situation from top to bottom a little bit better,” Griffin said. “I think putting him in the best position to be successful is important. And I think his participation is a big part of achieving that.”
Williamson knows there is more to do.
“as he taught me [el ex entrenador de Duke, Mike Krzyzewski], I have to take responsibility,” Williamson said. “There are a lot of things I could have done better. I did not do it. I am in the process of correcting those errors.”
Williamson said that in terms of preparing for this season, he has been trying to model himself after Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James.
“It’s more about fixing the flexibility, the band work. I think it’s those things that are going to be able to keep me on the court longer instead of losing a lot of weight and coming to play,” Williamson said, crediting James. for inspiration.
In his brief appearance, Williamson also wanted to make a point: He doesn’t miss games because he wants to.
“I’m a hooper,” Williamson said. “When I’m sitting on the sidelines watching my teammates in certain games that they’re losing, I know if I was there, I could change the outcome.
“What I want people to know about me is that I just want to play. I want to be out there. Nobody wants to just sit on the sidelines. I think that’s what I want people to understand. I don’t want to be out there. Do you think I want to sit there? hurt? I don’t want to.”
2023-07-11 21:24:00
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