Zion Williamson is opening up on the toughest point in his career.
The 25-year-old former No. 1 overall pick sat down with ESPN’s Malika Andrews for an interview on Tuesday and recounted the lowest moment during his seven-year NBA career.
In September 2021, Williamson suffered a Jones fracture in his right foot that cost him the entire 2021-22 campaign. Missing what was supposed to be his third NBA season was a brutal blow. He got emotional discussing the injury and the criticism about his weight he heard while rehabbing.
“The most difficult point was when I missed my third year with a broken foot. And there was a lot of criticism on my weight, my care for the game, etc.,” Williamson said. “I’m in Portland rehabbing, not knowing if my foot is gonna heal, and it was frustrating. It was very frustrating, but I was low.
“I was really low because I just wanted to play basketball. I just wanted to play the game I love, but every time you turn the TV on, every time I checked my phone, it was nothing but negative criticism.”
The Pelicans forward added that his doctors told him they weren’t sure if his foot was ever going to actually heal properly after surgery.
His full comments are below.
"The most difficult point was when I missed my third year with a broken foot. ... There was a lot of criticism on my weight, my care for the game. ... I was really low because I just wanted to play basketball."
— ESPN (@espn) March 2, 2026
Pelicans forward Zion Williamson on the most difficult point during… pic.twitter.com/tf9CnsZ3VX
There has been a lot of criticism about Williamson’s size during his career. He has missed a ton of games due to multiple injuries over the years, and has actually missed more than he has played during his time in the NBA. The interview came after he suffered his most recent injury over the weekend.
Williamson was sidelined for New Orleans’s Sunday night game against the Clippers thanks to a sprained ankle suffered on Saturday against the Jazz. It stopped a career-best streak of 35 straight games played.
He has dealt with a right adductor strain and a hamstring injury already this season. He is currently averaging a career-low 21.5 points and 5.8 rebounds in 29.5 minutes per game this year.
Williamson has only played 60 or more games twice in his seven NBA seasons. He has been a productive player when he has actually been on the floor but those instances have been few and far between.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Emotional Zion Williamson Recalls Criticism of Weight As He Rehabbed Injury.
