Zion Williamson Explains Why He's Not Playing In Back-To-Back Games

Published|Updated
Stephen A. Smith Fires Back At James Carville | The Ricky Cobb Show
0 seconds of 1 hour, 21 minutes, 12 secondsVolume 0%
Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts
00:00
1:21:12
1:21:12
 

Former No. 1 NBA draft pick Zion Williamson is not allowed to play back-to-back games despite being 24-years-old and, according to him, being physically able to do so.

 Why is that?

Load management.

And Commissioner Adam Silver still doesn't think the league has a problem?

LOAD MANAGEMENT EXCUSE DOESN'T PREVENT INJURIES

"Let me make this clear to everybody out there. If I could play in the back-to-backs, I would. Physically? Yes, I can. But I work for the Pelicans. They have decided that, based off the numbers, it's not smart to do that right now. If that's what they feel, I'm rocking with them on that," Zion told reporters.

Way to throw your boss under the bus there, Zion. Let's see how that works out for you. 

I'm sure it has nothing to do with the fact that you've been massively overweight in recent years and have an extensive injury history as long as a CVS receipt.

With the Pelicans signing the injury-prone Zion to a five-year, $197 million extension after he missed the 2021-2022 season, you can't blame them for wanting to protect their investment, especially as the team has zero chance of making the playoffs. The Pelicans are currently second to last in the Western Conference with a record of 12-36.

But in recent weeks, Zion has shown that he actually is healthy and can compete - so why not let him play? This week alone, he dropped 31 points on Monday and 29 points on Wednesday. 

ARE THE PELICANS HOLDING ZION BACK?

But this is the main problem with the NBA. Teams know that fans are furious with players taking phony time off for "load management," so why would the Pelicans add to that narrative, especially if Zion says he can play? Way too often, teams baby their players without listening to the athletes themselves. 

Not to mention that many players still get hurt regardless of not playing back to back, so what are we really doing here in the first place?

There's plenty of players that opt out from back to back games because of their own selfishness. If Zion wants to not be one of them, then the Pelicans should let him play.