Ex-Pelicans teammate has worrisome take on Zion Williamson’s health

Zion Williamson has played in just 85 career games in three NBA seasons. Now one of his old teammates is offering a concerning take on his health.

Retired ex-New Orleans Pelicans guard JJ Redick, who recently became an analyst for ESPN, hosted a conference call on Monday. One of the questions Redick received, per Ian Begley of SportsNet New York, was if Pelicans fans should be worried about Williamson staying with the team long-term.

“Of course I would be worried just in general about Zion, given his injury history,” said Redick. “There’s certainly a lot more at play here than whether he ends up leaving the Pelicans in five years or four years or whatever it is.

“Zion has to be in better shape,” Redick went on. “That’s not a secret. And he’s got to get healthy. And I think if Zion’s out on the court with Brandon [Ingram] and the young nucleus they have, there’s a lot to be excited about if I was a Pelicans fan.”

Redick played with Williamson on the Pelicans for two seasons. Williamson still has yet to make his season debut after undergoing right foot surgery in the summer. Now there are rumors swirling that Williamson weighs over 300 pounds, which grew louder after a recent video of him warming up.

Zion sighting pic.twitter.com/2IDgCwlWLB

— NBA Central (@TheNBACentral) October 31, 2021

The 21-year-old Williamson relies on athleticism and physical play in order to be effective. He has already dealt with a number of lower-body injuries in his young NBA career, and the problem could get even worse if Williamson does not start taking better care of himself soon.

Photo: Mar 4, 2020; Dallas, Texas, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) laughs while warming up before the game against the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports