Zion Williamson showed up at New Orleans Pelicans media day looking lighter, sharper, and more candid about where his career stands. He said he is still not at the level he wants or needs to reach, a blunt message that matched the tone of his camp opening.
A leaner frame, but the same pressure
The Pelicans listed Williamson at 277 pounds on their training camp roster, which is seven pounds below last season’s mark. It is also the first time in seven years that the team’s listed weight for him has changed from 284 pounds.
That number matters because Williamson’s career has always been about more than talent. He entered the NBA as the first overall pick in 2019, yet injuries and conditioning issues have limited him to 278 missed games, including the entire 2021-22 season.
When he has been available, the production has remained elite. He has averaged nearly 24 points a game and built a reputation as one of the league’s most powerful finishers at the rim.
Joe Dumars says the change is real
Pelicans basketball operations chief Joe Dumars did not soften his praise. He said Williamson arrived in “impeccable condition” and made it clear that the improvement is tied to consistent work rather than a short-term burst.
Dumars also pointed to availability as the real test. His message was simple: carrying too much weight and ignoring the details is no way to survive an 82-game season.
He also drew a distinction between players who need constant urging and players who drive themselves. In Dumars’ view, Williamson’s push this offseason came from within.
- Listed weight: 277 pounds
- Previous listed weight: 284 pounds
- Career games missed: 278
- Career scoring average: close to 24 points per game
Confidence is growing beyond the paint
Williamson said the biggest change has been mental. He spent part of the summer in South Carolina, worked with new voices, and studied the game from angles he had not explored as deeply before.
That process has given him more trust in his own routine. It has also made him more open to the part of his game that opponents have often invited him to use: the jumper.
He did not sound hesitant about that next step. If shots miss, he said, the next one will go in.
Another coach, another reset
This season will be Williamson’s fifth under a different head coach, with Jamahl Mosley now taking over in New Orleans. Mosley spent five seasons with the Orlando Magic, where he went 189-221 overall and guided the team to the playoffs in each of his final three years.
Mosley has a reputation for building defensive teams and connecting with players on a personal level. He even travelled during the offseason to meet his new roster face to face.
Williamson said Mosley checks in regularly and treats players like people first, which matters for someone who has experienced constant turnover. Mosley, for his part, wants more than scoring. He has challenged Williamson to become less predictable and to make his teammates better.
- Fifth head coach of Williamson’s career
- Mosley’s Orlando record: 189-221
- Playoff trips in Mosley’s final three seasons with the Magic
- Pelicans finished last season 26-56
Contract talks can wait for now
Williamson is eligible for a contract extension this season, but there is no rush on either side. He still has two years left on his maximum-salary deal, and Dumars said the team wants to see how the year unfolds before opening negotiations.
Williamson agreed that the priority has to be winning. He will be extension-eligible again in the 2027 offseason, so there is time if this season starts to move in the right direction.
The Pelicans did not overhaul the roster, but they did add wing scorer Bennedict Mathurin and should get healthier contributions from Herb Jones, Trey Murphy III, and Dejounte Murray. If Williamson stays on the floor, the ceiling for this team changes quickly.
New Orleans opens camp with one obvious question hanging over everything: can a lighter, more settled Williamson finally help carry the franchise into April basketball? For now, he sounds determined to make that possibility real.