“Slimmer than I’ve ever seen him”: Zion Williamson’s teammate gives promising update on summer transformation ahead of new season 

Throughout Zion Williamson's NBA career, he has shown flashes of brilliance when healthy. However, the issue that has continued to plague his career is his availability.

Williamson's New Orleans Pelicans teammate, Trey Murphy, shared an update on his health, noting that the two-time All-Star is leaner than ever.

“He (Zion Williamson) looks good," Murphy told reporters on Tuesday. "He looks good right now. He is slimmer than I have ever seen him during the summertime time which is always a really good sign and I just feel like he is in a really good place mentally.”

While the update sounds like a promising one, Williamson's weight has been a constant talking point since he was drafted in 2019.

He has played just 214 of a possible 492 games since, and missed the entirety of the 2021-22 season. Williamson has notably played in under 60 games in three of his five seasons.

Although the former No. 1 pick has remained in the rumor mill, the Pelicans have refrained from including Williamson in trade talks.

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Pelicans coach Willie Green praises Zion Williamson's efforts to prepare for the upcoming season

New Orleans will look to make it make to the playoffs next season following a disappointing 2024-25 campaign. The team finished with a 21-61 record, and Pelicans coach Willie Green was complementary of Zion Williamson while speaking with the media on Tuesday.

“Just from watching him, he has done a really good job of getting himself ready to play this season," Green said. "That’s something that I want to commend him for, but the accountability and responsibility part for Zion, especially stepping into this role, it’s going to be important for him. That’s for all of our players but definitely it’s gonna be huge for him.”

After seeing the transformation of Luka Doncic this offseason, highlighted by his stellar EuroBasket play, the blueprint has been laid out for Williamson.

The LA Lakers star started intermittent fasting, and has dedicated himself to a new diet. The results have not only been seen in Doncic's physique, but also in his play with Slovenia. He led all EuroBasket players in scoring with 34.7 points per game.

Whether fans will see a similar leap from Williamson this season, only time will tell.