Zion Williamson Just Got HUGE...The NBA Is TERRIFIED

There are several new faces, particularly from the recent NBA draft with the NBA getting ready for the 2022-2023 season. Not only will draft picks grace the courts, but so will some regulars who have been absent for various reasons. Zion Williamson is one of the regulars who is making a comeback after missing the entire 2021-22 season, and he is eager to make up for lost time. The New Orleans Pelicans forward hadn't played competitive basketball since May 2021 due to a foot injury. This was a hard blow for the 2019 first-round pick, who was named an All-Star in 2021. His pictures doing rounds online have sent basketball fans into a frenzy. Williamson looks ready to line up as a defensive lineman in the NFL rather than stepping out of the hardwood. So is the NBA terrified by Zion's new look? Watch. Zion Williamson of the New Orleans Pelicans has not appeared in an NBA game since May 5th, 2021. That drought will end on October 19th, assuming no unforeseen issues in training camp when the Pelicans play the Brooklyn Nets in their season opener. I've never dealt with a layover like this, that's a long time without playing the game, but my excitement level is through the roof and I'm just ready to get back on the court. My focus over the summer was just to get back to playing shape, playing conditions, and honing my craft. I feel like I'm at my best right now. I feel like I'm moving faster, jumping higher. I feel great," Williamson said during the Pelicans' annual media day. The new advertisement for Zion's signature Jumpman shoe features Zion's new posture. In it, we see Zion busy working, and he looks nothing like what internet trolls have led us to believe. In the workout video promoting his new shoe, he appears huge, but in a muscular way. We captioned the video in part, Proud to announce my second signature shoe is here. I trained on campus this spring, and now it's time to show you all what I've been up to. The hashtag Zion 2 is available tomorrow. Zion Williamson appears leaner and in better physical shape ahead of the 2022 season with the New Orleans Pelicans after struggling to stay healthy for much of his career, with many attributing his physical struggles to his weight. The former Duke player worked hard this offseason to get in shape, and the results appear to speak for themselves. Williamson appears poised to tear down the NBA. He appeared in the ad for the release of his second signature shoe, looking more like a defensive lineman in the NFL than a basketball player. As the New Orleans Pelicans star prepares to return to action, footage of the 198-centimeter forward should terrify and put the rest of the league on notice. As Williamson's time on the bench grew longer, speculation about his future in New Orleans grew louder. Williamson, on the other hand, has put those rumors to rest and appears poised to sign a massive max rookie extension this coming season. His health has been a big concern for the New Orleans Pelicans since he was drafted in 2019. But after more than a year on the sidelines, he appears to be in better shape than ever this season. Kindly be sure to subscribe to our channel and don't forget to hit that notification button so that you can get updates whenever we upload any new content. Otherwise, let's get it on. NBA analyst Stephen A. Smith believes the Pelicans will threaten the NBA Finals if Williamson stays healthy. Unfortunately, Williamson has gained his fair share of criticism, with many pundits attacking the star after he appeared to gain weight while recovering from a surgically repaired right foot fracture. Despite being only 22 years old, much has been made of his weight issues since joining the league. According to reports, his weight has risen to more than 300 pounds, making him the league's heaviest player. The trolls are, however, now disappointed with the star appearing ready to bulldoze his way through the league and anyone who dares to stand in his way. Zion Williamson is listed at 6'7 and weighs around 275 pounds. His hops are unmatched, and his unique combination of physicality and quickness makes him one of the league's most unguardable players. When he is healthy, Williamson has already shown what a beast he can be on the court. He had one of the most memorable NBA debuts of the century, and the last time he was healthy, Williamson averaged 27 points and 7.2 rebounds. The three-point shooting was rocky at under 30%, but the 2019 NBA No. 1 draft pick took those with confidence. To have accomplished all this while playing for a subpar version of the Pelicans and while not as fit and healthy as he is now is a terrifying prospect for opponents and the NBA fraternity. Zion never got the chance to play with the likes of Jonas Valanciunas, CJ McCollum, or any intriguing up-and-comers. Also the two-person game they could occasionally run with CJ McCollum could become the backbone of their offense without mentioning Ingram, who has been an all-star and will be right at home next to the wrecking ball is Williamson's inside presence in game. The New Orleans Pelicans offered a massive contract to their once-in-a-lifetime draft pick from 2019 in July. The contract is for five years and could be worth up to $231 million depending on performance. While the original contract value is $193 million, it could be increased by $38 million if Williamson makes the All-NBA team, wins NBA MVP, or Defensive Player of the Year next season. Williamson has no excuse not to win the Most Improved Player award at the end of the season, and making another all-star team should be a minimum requirement. Last year, the Pelicans had a defensive rating of 112 and an offensive rating of 111.2, and you can bet that Zion can push both of those numbers above the league average. This could also be when a true LeBron successor emerges in how he plays and physically dominates his opponents. Zion has always appeared to be most likely to be that guy due to his body type, and as an American player, fans will gravitate to him as well. As Williamson prepares for his fourth season with arguably the most talented supporting cast he's ever had, it's unclear how he'll bend his talents with a roster that looks very different from the last time he played. Furthermore, some analysis believe Zion Williamson is not worth even half his max-level contract with the New Orleans Pelicans. According to FiveThirtyEight's projection, Williamson is only worth $89 million on the court for the New Orleans Pelicans. Their projection system identifies similar players in NBA history and uses them to create a probabilistic forecast of what a current NBA player's future might look like. In addition, some people doubt Zion Williamson can regain his dominance now that he doesn't have the weight advantage. Before his physical transformation, Zion Williamson was the NBA's second-heaviest player, trailing only Boban Marjanovic, who is several inches taller than Zion. Former NBA player Shaquille O'Neal addressed Zion's physical transformation in the Big Podcast with Shaq and said that greatness isn't guaranteed for Williamson now that he's lost weight and even went ahead and offered the young star some advice. He stated that when he started losing weight and getting thin, he would get injured more from contact, but when he was big and looked out of shape, he was in charge. He also mentioned that when people deemed him overweight, he was running people over with opposing players following him, but he was unfazed by that. He further expressed that he liked when he was Big Zion, acknowledged that he looked good, and wished him well. There will be a lot of changes in the NBA if Zion returns and stays healthy, considering the effort he showed when he played with the Chicago Bulls, and also judging from the ad, although we cannot fully predict how his game will go. He has gained the body and even added some extra weight, he should put it to work. Otherwise, we beg to end this video. Thank you for watching. Bye. But the ball ends up with the Pelicans. Zion cruising in for a bucket and one. How many of those have we seen tonight?