Zion Williamson claps back after Stephen A. Smith, Shaq, and others criticized his weight gain… with the Pelicans star dropping a season-high 36 points on Minnesota: ‘Everybody entitled to their own opinion’

Recent criticism of New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson has focused on what appears to be a significant weight gain.

Commentators like Stephen A. Smith, Charles Barkley and Shaquille O'Neal were quick to comment when Williamson appeared to put on some weight, leading to a dip in performance.

Williamson silenced that criticism last night with a dominant 36-point performance to defeat the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Zion hit a whopping 13 of 17 shots from the field and added five rebounds, two assists, a steal and a block to his statline.

After the game, Williamson addressed the media – and his critics – saying the only thing that matters about the comments is the tone in which they were said.

Williamson dropped 36 points on 13-for-17 shooting in a win over the Minnesota Timberwolves

“If it's coming from a place where they want me to do better, thank you,” Williamson said at a post-match press conference.

'But if it comes from somewhere else, everyone is entitled to their own opinion. I have no control over that.'

Williamson said The Athletics“It's been that way since I was 16 years old – since I came on the scene.

“If I want to be one of the best players in the league, if we don't win at an important moment or if something bad happens, then that's to be expected.”

Most of the criticism stems from Zion's poor performance in the final two games of the NBA In-Season Tournament in which New Orleans participated.

He scored just 10 points in 28 minutes in a win over the Sacramento Kings and followed that with just 13 points in 26 minutes against the Los Angeles Lakers.

Williamson didn't shoot the ball poorly — he went 5-for-8 and 6-for-8, respectively — but critics sensed a lack of effort on his part.

O'Neal called him out for not running hard or rebounding in an NBA on TNT segment: “This isn't a diss, this is going to be a lesson from one big man to another man who can be a really big one – (he) doesn't run fast. I had the same problem my freshman and sophomore year.

Shaq tried to give constructive criticism, while Barkley felt like Zion was falling behind

Smith's vicious attack on Williamson accuses the former No. 1 pick of being 'addicted to food'

“My talent gets me 20 (points), but when I went (from) 20 to 30 and 40, it was because I started doing certain things.”

Barkley chimed in on that same segment, claiming that there are “two guys on his team that are better players than him, and they shouldn't be.”

But Stephen A. was perhaps the most outspoken critic, ranting about how Zion “looks fat” in an episode of his podcast.

“Zion Williamson… went to the free throw line. Ladies and gentlemen, I saw a belly. A stomach. For example, when he took a deep breath, his stomach bounced,” Smith said.

“What's wrong, Zion? It's bad enough when you get knocked down… But you look like you came to the game having just eaten a buffet.

'Not something from the buffet, I said the buffet. Like you ate that damn table… It's fat.”

Reports indicate that the Pelicans have repeatedly advised the star that his diet needs to improve, but Williamson apparently 'isn't listening'.