Zion Williamson touts fitness after offseason conditioning program: 'I haven't felt like this since college'

Zion Williamson showed up to Pelicans media day Tuesday looking notably fit and declaring that he's feeling "really good."

It's a familiar refrain for Pelicans fans who are now in year seven of waiting for Williamson to remain healthy enough to deliver on the enormous promise that he arrived with in New Orleans as the No. 1 pick in the 2019 draft. 

Since his arrival, much has been made of Williamson's fluctuating fitness and physique and, more precisely, their impact on his oft-injured body parts that have included his knee, foot and hamstring.

Zion: 'It feels good to feel good'

Tuesday's update was most certainly on the promising side as Williamson spoke with reporters about his conditioning regimen with Pelicans trainer Daniel Bove since transitioning from rehab of a hamstring injury that sidelined him for a chunk of last season. 

"We came up with a plan from boxing to working out on the football field a lot to just different random workouts," Williamson said. "And during that timeframe last year, I really felt a shift in my body to where I would look at him and go, 'dude, it feels good to feel good.'

"I haven't felt like this since college, high school, just where I can walk into a gym and I feel good."

Williamson also spoke about the relationship he's built with executive vice president of basketball operations Joe Dumars and senior vice president of basketball operations Troy Weaver, who joined the Pelicans in the offseason. 

Williamson lauded their support and said that he made a promise to them to not let them down. 

"We sat down and we had some man-to-man conversations," Williamson said. "They embraced me. I just told them, 'I'm not gonna let y'all down.'

"If they believe in me that much, it was — it helped a lot. It helped a lot that they really believed in me. And like I said, man-to-man conversations. They're gonna hold me accountable. But with that accountability, they're giving me a lot of responsibilities. And I'm here for it."

It all sounds and looks encouraging. But forgive Pelicans fans if they remain in a wait-and-see stance. 

Is this the season that Zion stays healthy?

They've been here before with Williamson, who's shown flashes of progress before, only to be beset with another long-term injury. Since joining the NBA, Williamson has played in 214 of a possible 472 regular-season games — a roughly 45.3% availability rate. He's played in more than 30 games in just two of six seasons that include missing the entire 2021-22 campaign.

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When healthy, Williamson has flashed his potential with career averages of 24.7 points, 7.2 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game as a 58.9% shooter from the floor. He's a one-of-a-kind explosive athlete and force in the post. 

It's the reason the Pelicans awarded him with a five-year, $197 million extension to his rookie contract. But because of his downside risk, that contract comes with clauses concerning playing weight and body-fat percentage. 

Heading into the new season, those clauses do not appear to be in play. The Pelicans and their fans are hoping that translates to Williamson's healthiest and best season yet.