Former Broncos safety uses Zion Williamson’s weight loss to throw shade at NBA athletes

Ahead of the 2025-26 NBA season, New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson has lost a considerable amount of weight in an apparent effort to be healthy for the season ahead.

While Williamson's weight loss has attracted plenty of attention, not all of it has been positive. On Wednesday, former Denver Broncos safety TJ Ward responded to a video of Williamson telling members of the press how good he feels during the Pelicans' media day.

In the comments section, Ward wrote:

"More evidence football players are the best athletes and in the best shape!"

Explore the NBA Draft 2024 with our free NBA Mock Draft Simulator & be the GM of your favorite NBA team.

The take sparked quite a debate between NBA fans and NFL fans, some of whom felt as though NBA players are far superior athletes.

While some fans have been skeptical of Zion Williamson's weight loss, given that this isn't the first time the former Duke standout is heading into a season looking slimmed down, his dedication notably landed him praise from coach Willie Green on Tuesday.

Zion Williamson opens up on what having Joe Dumars means to him and the Pelicans

In April, the New Orleans Pelicans hired Hall of Famer Joe Dumars as their Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations.

While initially there were questions about whether the team's front office would begin looking to trade Zion Williamson, instead, Dumars has thrown his support behind the young star.

During his media day appearance, Williamson opened up on what Dumars means to the team and his growth as a player:

“I like Joe; what you see is what you get. He’s going to hold me accountable, and as he holds me accountable, he’s going to give me a lot of responsibility as well, which I’m excited for.

"I know he’s going to hold me to a really high standard, and if I slip up or anything, I know he’s going to be right there to make sure I get right back on the path.”

While the team won't play its first preseason game until Oct. 14 and its first regular season game until Oct. 22, Williamson has already been in the gym.

As coach Willie Green explained this week, Zion Williamson has been at the Pelicans' practice facility all summer long, training in order to make sure he's healthy for not just an 82-game season, but what he and New Orleans hope will be a deep playoff run.

About the author

Evan Bell is a journalist specializing in the NBA and NHL at Sportskeeda, whose love for the game stems from a childhood spent watching the Chicago Bulls. He has been there through their highs and lows, from the Jordan era to the exciting Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah years.

Evan finds the 82-game season and the intensity of playoff basketball exhilarating, and he also revels in the offseason drama. Phil Jackson stands out as his favorite coach, whom he admires for his composed leadership and success in managing dynamic personalities like Dennis Rodman.

To deliver top-quality content, Evan fact-checks information while diligently keeping up with the action year-round.

When he's not writing, Evan follows tennis and Greek football, and also plays basketball and tennis.

Know More

Denver Broncos Fans! Check out the latest Denver Broncos Schedule and dive into the Broncos Depth Chart for NFL Season 2024-25.

Edited by Victor R. Lopez M.