The injury struggles of NBA superstar Zion Williamson have been a huge cause of concern for the New Orleans Pelicans. The 2019 #1 pick was supposed to be a franchise player that many thought would transform the Pelicans. However, things have not worked out for him in terms of fitness. The forward has spent a huge part of his NBA career on the sidelines so far. Also, during rehabilitation, Williamson gained weight, for which he was criticized by many, including NBA legends Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley. Now, two other former NBA players gave their take on Zion.

Even before Zion was drafted, there were concerns about his weight, as many thought his high-flying play style might not go hand in hand with his weight. In his four years in the league so far, Williamson has missed the whole of the 2021-22 season and played just 114 games in the remaining three seasons.

Gilbert Arenas’ honest opinion on Zion Williamson

Zion Williamson has not played since Jan.2 after he strained his hamstring during a game against the Philadelphia 76ers. He is reportedly expected to miss at least another week. This has caused major concerns among the New Orleans Pelicans and it has been discussed by many as well. Recently, former NBA players Gilbert Arenas and Rashad McCants talked about the injury woes of Williamson in an episode of the ‘Gil’s Arena’ podcast. While talking about it, the two initially discussed the injuries and the number of games the Pelicans star has missed so far in his career. The veterans, along with co-host Josiah Johnson, also discussed whether the team should consider trading their superstar.

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Arenas stated that he does not think the two-time NBA All-Star should be traded considering his age, 22. He then gave an insight into what 22-year-old athletes would usually do. Arenas said, “Like, at 22 it’s kinda hard because he’s still in the young phase. I know what he’s eating, chicken nuggets, burgers.”

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The former Washington Wizards star recounted that even he ate the things he listed and more, early in his career. He even said that he used to have chocolate cake before games. On the other hand, former Minnesota Timberwolves player McCants said that Zion has to go to a bigger market.

O’Neal and Barkley’s criticism

Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley have criticized Zion Williamson on more than one occasion. Barkley once made fun of Zion’s weight gain on TV, which caused a major stir. Ironically, Barkley himself struggled with weight during his playing career. On the other hand, O’Neal once suggested that losing a lot of weight might not be a good idea for Williamson and he would be less dominant.

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What do you think about the comments of Gilbert Arenas? Let us know your thoughts.