‘I’m 20, 22, I’ve got all the money in the world… it’s hard, man’: Zion Williamson on his struggles to stay grounded amid NBA success
Zion Williamson, who has been in a lot of trouble, has talked about how hard it was for him to stay fit early in his NBA career. He also talked about the pressures that come with making “all the money in the world.”
Williamson said, “Man, it’s hard,” when he was on the show “Gil’s Arena,” which Wizards legend Gilbert Arenas hosts. “I’m 20, I’m 22, and I have all the money in the world—or at least, it seems like I do. It’s tough.I’m at the point where I’m putting back the knowledge around me because of some things. I don’t want to say “older” because that makes people nervous, but I’m surrounding myself with smart people. Make me ready for some things. And then just keep going.’
He only played in 29 games last season because he hurt his knee at the beginning of January and had to miss the rest of the season. Before that, he broke his foot and missed the whole 2021–22 season. He was supposed to play at some point during the year, but he was never given permission to do so.
“I think he can do a lot better, and I think he would tell you that. Griffin said, “I think we need to look at the whole thing from top to bottom a little bit better.” “I think it’s important to give him the best chance to succeed. I think that his involvement is a big part of that.’
During his sυrprise podcast visit, Williamson also said that he has been trying to be as flexible as LeBron James this offseason to try to avoid getting hurt. He also talked to people who try to say that he doesn’t go to games because he doesn’t want to.
“It’s more about being flexible and working as a band. Williamson said, “I think those things will keep me on the court longer than losing a lot of weight and coming to play.” “I am a hooper. When I’m watching my teammates lose a game from the sidelines, I know that if I were playing, I could change the result.
“I want people to know that all I want to do is hoop. I’d like to be there. Nobody wants to do nothing but watch. I think that’s what I’d like people to know. I don’t want to just watch the game. Do you think it would hurt me to sit over there? I don’t.’
Mills was upset when Williamson said he was going to have his first child soon.