Zion Williamson could be in for a very promising NBA season in his eighth year with the New Orleans Pelicans.
According to NBA insider and analyst Tim MacMahon in the Hoop Collective podcast with Brian Windhorst, Pelicans head coach Jamahl Mosley is excited about Williamson’s return to the court, citing his health, shape, and sustained athletic abilities.
This comes as doubts continue to circle Williamson, who has failed to stay healthy for most of his NBA career.
“He’s very excited about Zion, very excited about the way Zion’s been working, the way that he reported to camp, the condition he’s in,” MacMahon said. “You know, it’s like every camp there’s a Zion weight update. He’s slimmed down and looks ready to roll. We’ll see if that stays that way, but he’s given his new coach reason to believe.”
Zion Williamson Is In “Impeccable Shape”
According to multiple reports, Williamson enters the 2026-2027 NBA season in some of the best physical shape of his career, though his long-term durability remains a central question for the Pelicans.
Williamson reported to training camp listed at 277 pounds, down from 284 pounds in previous seasons, earning praise from Pelicans basketball operations chief Joe Dumars for being in “impeccable condition.”
The franchise underwent a massive shift by hiring former Orlando Magic coach Jamahl Mosley to establish a culture of accountability and defensive discipline.
The team has challenged Zion to diversify his game by adding a more consistent perimeter and jump shot to lessen the wear and tear of strictly playing in the paint.
Williamson has missed 278 career games through his first seven seasons, making cautious load and injury management a priority for the coaching staff.
Last season, Williamson played an important role for the New Orleans Pelicans by appearing in 62 games and starting 55 of them. He remained the focal point of the team’s offense, averaging 21.0 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 3.2 assists in 29.7 minutes per game.
Williamson was efficient from the floor, shooting 60.0% from the field to rank among the league leaders in field goal percentage. Defensively, he also chipped in with 1.0 steal and 0.5 blocks per contest.
Despite his relatively steady availability, the Pelicans struggled as a whole, finishing with a 26–56 record and missing out on the NBA playoffs.
Zion Williamson Hopes Things Will Be Better In The Near Future
Zion Williamson has yet to reach the heights he once was projected to reach when he left for Duke to be drafted first overall in the 2019 NBA Draft.
Unfortunate injuries and personal issues have held him back throughout his first seven seasons in the league. Now, Zion is only hoping for the best for himself as he enters another season.
“I’m not where I want to be,” Williamson said. “I’m not where I need to be.”
“It’s not the way I would have wanted it to be, but that’s just part of this business,” he said. “All you can do is just adjust with it and hope that things get better.”
However, with the constant improvements of Western Conference teams, the Pelicans are still not expected to contend for a playoff spot this season.
The more realistic expectation is a developmental year focused on evaluating their identity and seeing sophomore jumps from young pieces like Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen.
Good News Emerge About Zion Williamson For New Orleans Pelicans