Pelicans roast Stephen A. Smith after calling Zion Williamson “out of shape”
YouTube: Stephen A. Smith Show; YouTube: Official NBAStephen A. Smith is catching backlash after his recent comments about New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson.
The Pelicans have gotten off to a hot start in the regular season, sitting in fifth place in the NBA Western Conference with a respectable 34-22 record. Zion Williamson is averaging a team-leading 22.5 points per game and 58.5 field goal percentage.
However, Stephen A. Smith sent shots at Williamson’s conditioning on Friday, as he has several times over the years. Smith said on Get Up, “Zion Williamson, it’s not about his game. It’s about how many burgers he’s eating. And whether or not he’s going to be in shape.”
Smith is not the only analyst to call Williamson’s weight into question. Some basketball pundits believe his conditioning, or lack thereof, is the reason why Zion has missed 225 games in five seasons.
But no one has been more vocal about Williamson than Smith, which is why the Pelicans social media team had fun at his expense on Friday.
The Pelicans respond to Smith’s Zion Williamson comments
The Pelicans took notice of the recent comments and hilariously began trolling Smith on social media. The team’s official X account even shared a stat line from Smith’s playing days.
Smith was a scholarship athlete for Winston-Salem State University, where he played for Hall of Fame head coach Clarence Gaines. As the Pelicans post points out, he didn’t put up many stats for the team.
That wasn’t the only shot sent at Smith, either. Later, the Pelicans posted a highlight reel, showing the veteran reporter airballing shots while also referencing his all-time bad first pitch at the Yankees game.
Williamson, a two-time All-Star, says he is the healthiest he’s ever been in the NBA. But given the long track record of injuries, this narrative could haunt Zion until he proves it’s in the past.
The Pelicans came to his defense on social media Friday, as did a slew of New Orleans fans. Williamson has the backing of the franchise and its fan base.
Now, he will aim to make good on their faith. And prove Stephen A. Smith’s “out of shape” concerns are unwarranted.