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It’s no secret that Zion Williamson has struggled.
Nearly three years ago, the NBA star admitted to struggling with dieting, and in a recent interview with ESPN, he said the lowest point of his career was missing his third season with a broken foot and being criticized for his “weight” and “attention to the game.”
ESPN star Stephen A. Smith has criticized Williamson on these critical issues in the past, and he did so again on Tuesday, going so far as to suggest that the New Orleans Pelicans actually “encouraged” him to attack Williamson.
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(Left) Stephen A. Smith speaks on stage during day two of the HOPE 2025 Global Forum at Signia by Hilton Atlanta in Atlanta, Georgia on December 2, 2025. (Right) Zion Williamson (1) of the New Orleans Pelicans watches the Philadelphia 76ers at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on January 31, 2026. (By Griffin/Getty Images)
“The information coming out of Zion Williamson came from inside the organization. It came from people even closer than that to Zion Williamson, I’ll leave it at that,” Smith said on Tuesday’s “First Take.” “The people who called us and encouraged us to come into his…because of some of the things he was doing. There were people who were alcoholics, people who were drug addicts and stuff like that. What was Zion’s problem? Food! A food addict!
“The joke was that everyone who cooked in New Orleans, it could be everyone from a restaurant, to a chef, to your grandmother. Everyone who cooked knew Zion Williamson. And he knew them! They called each other by their first names. Because that brother ate a lot! There are even rumors, and literally, I’m here thinking it was a joke, and someone told me to go on the air and show him how he got arrested for hiding food under his bed. That’s the kind of thing that happened.”
Zion Williamson of the New Orleans Pelicans watches the game against the Indiana Pacers on November 1, 2024 at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images)
Smith’s comments prompted the Pelicans’ social media team to troll him and his athletic abilities, which is not a new phenomenon. They did the same in 2024.
“Stick to loner Stephen,” the team posted along with a montage of Smith’s embarrassing sports moments.
Pulling stuff from a decade ago, two decades ago, three decades ago, ???? No problem. See you tomorrow on First Take. Remember one thing: YOU ASKED FOR THIS!!!!!”, Smith replied.
Welcome Stephen A. Smith in conversation with Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) during a SiriusXM Town Hall event at the SiriusXM studio on November 19, 2025 in Washington, DC (Paul Morigi/Getty Images for SiriusXM)
Williamson transformed his body over the offseason, which allowed him to play in 46 games – his second-highest total since the 2020-21 season. His stats have taken a hit, as he averages 21.5 points, his career low.
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