Last week, Zion Williamson sent shockwaves through the NBA community as he walked into the New Orleans Pelicans facility a changed man. Beaming from ear to ear, and sitting there talking to the local media at just 264 pounds, the former number one pick admitted he hasn’t felt this good since his college career at Duke.
Reportedly pushing towards 300 pounds at his heaviest, Williamson’s offseason transformation sees him at his lightest weight since he joined the league in 2019.
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Now, we’ve seen media day pictures look deceiving before, but Basketball Network was in the house to witness Williamson’s first return to the court following his physical reinvention — and there’s no denying he’s in the best shape of his career.
Zion’s breakout season?
The Pelicans ascended on Melbourne, Australia, earlier this week to tip off their preseason. Their trip down under was the first time Williamson hit the floor in front of the mainstream media since slimming down, and questions circled on whether his new peak conditioning would be visually noticeable in action.
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Needless to say, no one from the practice facility left with any doubts on whether the 25-year-old star is in the best shape of his professional career.
A different energy
Naturally, following practice, Williamson was asked about how his body feels, to which he answered without hesitation: “It feels good to feel good”.
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Head coach Willie Green went on to sing his praises, highlighting that the Pelicans star being in great shape gives the team a multitude of options on both ends of the floor.
One of those options is becoming one of the most devastating transition teams in the league, and even in a skinnier state, Williamson still looks as explosive as ever.
Williamson went on to reveal that he underwent a strict training regimen that included football drills and boxing sessions. The aim was not only to lose weight, but also to prevent injury — a struggle he has dealt with throughout his career. After appearing in just 30 games last season, another major milestone would be to stay healthy the entire campaign.
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Now, he’s ready to turn the page on that frustrating chapter of his story, and looks prime to play the best basketball of his career.
But what about the Pelicans? Coming off a 21-win 2024-25 NBA season — they finished 14th in the Western Conference — the team hopes for a bounce-back campaign and return to the postseason.
The roster looks different compared to last season. CJ McCollum is no longer there, but the organization replaced him with Jordan Poole and Saddiq Bey. They also drafted Derik Queen with the 13th overall pick after what many, including Bill Simmons, described as one of the dumbest draft-day trades in NBA history.
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Still, as always, the Pelicans will go as far as Williamson takes them. And luckily for them, Williamson looks ready to take them far.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Oct 2, 2025, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.