"His body is not built to play this game" - Eddie Johnson is concerned with Zion Williamson's long term health after another injury
Zion Williamson
© Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports
Zion Williamson avoiding a major injury was good while it lasted.
News of the New Orleans Pelicans star missing at least three weeks because of a hamstring strain recently made rounds and saddened many of his fans. Former player Eddie Johnson discussed the turn of events on his radio show and voiced his concerns about Williamson being destined to have an injury-filled career because of his build and playstyle.
"I don't think Zion Williamson is going to play 70+ games," the 63-year-old said. "I've said this even before he got drafted. We've never seen a body this big, this explosive play this game. He puts so much torque on his body. His body is not built to play this game. It's not. But he is very good at this game."
Do Johnson's points have merit?
Looking at Williamson's latest injury might prove the analyst's assertion. The 22-year-old forward was bringing up the ball against the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday when he suddenly started limping. The fact that it was a non-contact injury makes the star's outlook even more concerning.
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However, Williamson seemed to be in high spirits a day after straining his hamstring. So, fans are hoping he can recover completely in no time.
Perhaps Johnson is speaking out of concern for the 2019 No. 1 draft pick. After all, Johnson has first-hand experience in having a lengthy NBA career—he spent 17 seasons in the league, appearing in 1,199 contests.
In addition, he was teammates with Charles Barkley, one of the players whose build has often been compared with Williamson. So, Johnson probably knows a thing or two about how the Pelicans star should approach his game.
Maybe Johnson is just bitter?
On the one hand, some Pelicans fans might not be too thrilled about hearing Johnson's statement, especially considering how Williamson has done well to avoid a significant injury this season before sustaining what could be another big setback on Monday.
It should be noted that Johnson is also currently working as a play-by-play analyst for the Phoenix Suns. And earlier in this campaign, Williamson angered the Suns community because of his last-second 360 dunk when New Orleans already had a considerable lead over Phoenix.
Furthermore, Johnson had also accused the Pelicans of using a boo machine in their home arena last month.
It will be interesting to see if the Pelicans faithful get peeved by Johnson's latest sentiment.
