- Zion Williamson was poor when his Pelicans lost to the Lakers in Las Vegas
- And the Pelicans are reportedly still begging him to change his ways
- DailyMail.com provides all the latest international sports news
Zion Williamson fell far short of expectations in his team's loss to the Lakers on Thursday night, and it has once again brought his lingering conditioning issues to the forefront.
The 2019 No. 1 overall pick scored just 13 points in the In-Season Tournament semifinals as the Pelicans were shut out 133-89.
And after the disappointing performance, in which the attacker sometimes seemed to have difficulty getting back into defense, NOLA.com reports this that the Pelicans “have repeatedly emphasized to Williamson the need to improve his diet and fitness.”
However, the report said that Williamson “doesn't listen.”
The piece also stated that Williamson had trouble breathing less than five minutes into the Lakers game.
Zion Williamson has struggled with weight and injury issues throughout his career
LeBron James led the Lakers to a victory with 30 points and eight assists in Vegas
The 23-year-old said after the match: 'I have to be more aggressive. (LeBron James) was aggressive. His teammates saw that and the energy transferred. I need to be more aggressive and make better starts in games.”
As Williamson noted, the 38-year-old James was extremely impressive in Las Vegas, scoring 30 points to go along with eight assists and five rebounds.
James has been remarkably durable throughout his 21-year career, while Williamson has often struggled with weight and injury issues.
He played 29 games or fewer in three of his first four seasons.
Still, his Pelicans are a respectable 12-11 so far and just 2.5 games out of the West's No. 2 seed.