Zion Williamson Weight Loss: Pelicans Star’s Step-Dad Reveals Shocking Numbers After Transformation Pictures Go Viral

As the 2023-24 NBA season approaches, the New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson was one of the heaviest players in the modern NBA. While his massive stature gave him the advantage of being a dominant force and breaking through defenses, the health and availability issues that came with it diminished that advantage. Determined to fix those issues, the 24-year-old used the offseason to undergo a major transformation, which his father-in-law enthusiastically shared with the world.

Zion Williamson recently held a free basketball camp in Spartanburg, South Carolina, where photos from the event revealed a noticeable physical transformation. The Pelicans star not only sported a new beard, but also appeared to have slimmed down considerably! Amid speculation about his weight loss, Williamson’s stepfather, Anderson Lee, revealed at the camp that the Pelicans star now weighs 280 pounds. For comparison, the player weighed over 280 pounds at the start of the just-concluded season. Additionally, Zion is expected to lose at least 270 pounds by the 2024-25 NBA season.

Eating healthy and staying in shape has been a problem for the Pelicans player. “It’s tough, man. I’m 20, 22, I’ve got all the money in the world, I mean, I feel like I’ve got all the money in the world. It’s tough.” Williamson said in 2023. In the 2022-23 season, he played just 29 regular-season games, missing the remaining 45 after suffering a hamstring injury. That followed a season-long absence in 2021-22 due to a broken foot. Those recurring issues were likely related to his weight, which could have put undue strain on his body while he played. As a result, the Pelicans added a clause to his $231 million contract that stipulated he could face penalties if his weight and body fat percentage exceeded 293 pounds.

It was a wake-up call the player felt he needed. “As [former Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski] taught me that I have to take responsibility,” Zion declared. “There are a lot of things I could have done better. I didn’t. I’m fixing those mistakes.”

And he certainly addressed those issues. In March 2024, ESPN reporter Brain Windhorst reported that the two-time NBA All-Star had lost more than 25 pounds in just three months. ESPN’s Andrew Lopez also confirmed the same report. “If you go back and watch him at the season tournament, and you watch him now, he looks completely different,” Lopez said. According to Athlon Sports, a photo of a “Skinny Zion” generated over 1.5 million views across various social media platforms in just a few hours.

If Williamson continues to maintain his current physique, it could mean big things for the New Orleans Pelicans. The 24-year-old led the Pelicans in scoring during the 2023-24 season, averaging 22.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 5 assists. At the same time, he played a career-best 70 games during the tournament. His performance helped the Pelicans reach the playoffs for the second time in six seasons. Unfortunately, just before the series against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Zion developed another injury and was sidelined. Being without their star player proved detrimental, and the Pelicans lost the series 0-4. Losing weight would likely limit the player’s injuries, ensuring his availability for crucial games in the future.

Despite the ups and downs of his career, Zion Williamson has always found support in his father-in-law. In addition to being the NBA player’s personal trainer, Lee Anderson has also been his representative in contract negotiations and his crisis management consultant. So he wasn’t the type to stay silent when the famous ESPN network insulted him about Williamson’s weight.

Zion Williamson’s Stepfather Called Stephen A. Smith After Comments About His ‘Belly’

In December 2023, the New Orleans Pelicans suffered a disappointing loss to the Los Angeles Lakers in the season opener. Zion Williamson had managed to score 13 of the team’s 89 points while shooting 6-8 from the field and 1-6 from the free throw line. Given his poor free throw shooting, Williamson faced criticism from Stephen A. Smith. Rather than attacking Zion’s playing ability, the sportscaster went straight to his weight.

“Zion Williamson… went to the free throw line – Ladies and gentlemen, I saw a belly” said Black-smith. “A belly. Like when he took a deep breath, his belly bounced. What’s up, Zion? Getting your ass kicked is bad enough… But you look like you came to the game after eating a buffet. Not something from the buffet, I said the buffet. Like you ate the damn table… It’s big.”

By the time Stephen A. Smith’s next segment came around, he received a call from Lee Anderson himself. The sportscaster revealed the details of that same call by going “His father-in-law called me this morning and we had a very, very good conversation.” While Smith did not apologize, he assured Williamson that his criticism came from a good source and that he simply wanted to see him improve.

After this massive weight loss, some eyes in the NBA world may be on Stephen A. Smith for his reaction. Whether it’s a statement of support or an apology to Zion and his stepfather, the details of the latter may or may not be known in due time.

Before you go, don’t forget to check out this cross between BG12 and Georgia Bulldogs star Silas Demary Jr.