In an interesting turn of events, an ESPN analyst recently turned away from the typical formal wear and donned a new Santa suit to express his bold stance on Zion Williamson. He clearly didn’t shy away from ruffling feathers, though he did it with some festive energy at least. The former NBA big did not seem to have the New Orleans Pelicans‘ star forward on his “nice” list as he shared some heated criticism about the 23-year-old.

Like many former athletes, Kendrick Perkins admitted to gaining a lot of weight post retirement. After tacking on nearly 75 lbs though, the ESPN analyst was ready to turn things around and quickly got his health under check. However, the 2008 NBA champion is unhappy with Williamson’s ability to make similar changes in his life.

Festive Kendrick Perkins shares his gift idea for Zion Williamson 

During a Christmas segment on the show, the ESPN analyst opted for a new look while offering suggestions and advice as festive presents. Kendrick Perkins gifted a heart to the Phoenix Suns, a cooling seat to Monty Williams and Pascal Siakam to the Sixers. For Zion Williamson though, he wanted to help the former #1 pick with his weight issues. 

Perk, wearing a red Santa jumpsuit and hat, started off by trying to motivate the young forward. “Your next three years not guaranteed my guy. You’ve been injured. You want to know why? Because you overweight.” Well, apart from the scathing commentary, Kendrick Perkins also generously shared a solution for Williamson.

“So guess what Santa perk is gifting you? The same thing I gifted myself- a nutritionist. We going to get you right big fella,” Perk exclaimed in his Santa Claus suit. It also seems that the criticism comes from the analyst wanting to see Zion thrive. “Because we know one thing. You get your eating habits under control, your game is going to go to another level,” explained Kendrick Perkins.

Since joining the NBA, Zion Williamson has just played 34 games per season (on average). Apart from missing time, the weight also seems to be counteracting the forward’s bounce. Lakers legend Shaquille O’Neal, among others, remarked that while the Pelicans star is noteworthy, he lacks speed and isn’t putting in sufficient effort to stay healthy.

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Even with notable skills and monstrous athletic abilities, concerns about Zion’s weight persist in his 4th professional season. Kendrick Perkins, not alone in expressing his opinion, gave his festive 2 cents on the matter. Despite the 23-year-old’s recent improvements, former big men haven’t refrained from offering advice and critiques. Except Perkins’ advice was thinly veiled as a threat.

Williamson’s contract’s last three years are not guaranteed

Williamson stole the spotlight against Minnesota with a remarkable performance, scoring a season-high 36 points. He broke the Timberwolves’ six-game winning streak as he led his Pelicans to a 121-107 win. But he’s going to have to keep consistently performing to secure his massive deal.

As per his 5 year and $ 197 million contract, the final three years of the extension lost their guaranteed status because Williamson played only 29 games last season. His absence in over 22 games allowed the Pelicans to revoke the guaranteed nature of his salaries for the last three years of his deal.

More than that, there’s also another specific weight check in his contract, that he must pass. Did you know about this? Let us know in the comments section below.

READ MORE: ‘Your A** Shouldn’t be Getting Tired’: NBA Legend Criticizes Zion Williamson for His Poor Fitness