Zion Williamson enters Pelicans camp at 271 pounds, down from the 284 pounds at which he had been listed for much of his NBA career, with last season’s 62 appearances serving as the early evidence behind New Orleans’ belief that its franchise player has found a more sustainable routine. The 26-year-old forward played in 35 straight games after returning from injury, then missed one game with an ankle sprain before appearing in the next 17.
That workload matters in a career that has produced two All-Star selections but no postseason minutes for the former No. 1 overall pick. As he begins his eighth season in New Orleans, Williamson said he is not satisfied with his standing.
“I’m not where I want to be,” Williamson said at media day, later adding that he is not yet where he needs to be.
The Pelicans limited several regular rotation players over the final games of last season, keeping Williamson’s total from climbing higher. Still, his 62 games marked the second-largest total of his career, and he arrived at camp looking leaner after an offseason spent continuing the same performance program.
From the locker room
The change traces back to early last season, when Williamson’s circle hired performance coach Kris Chrisp to work with him every day on training, recovery and overall wellness. Chrisp had previously worked with NBA players including Jose Alvarado, Davion Mitchell and Jabari Smith Jr.
The partnership began under pressure. Williamson suffered a Grade 1 hamstring strain shortly after Chrisp came aboard in early November, adding another issue to a history of hamstring injuries on both sides. Chrisp viewed the timing as a chance to establish a recovery plan and demonstrate what the new approach could do.
Chrisp and Williamson identified the scope of the injury and addressed habits that had left the forward open to further setbacks. The work extended beyond the gym, with more attention paid to stretching, sleep and the signals Williamson’s body gives him following workouts.
The coach also rebuilt Williamson’s home training space after bluntly telling him the original setup was inadequate. Chrisp said the relationship works because neither side avoids direct feedback.
“He doesn’t sugarcoat anything with me, and I’m the same way with him,” Chrisp said. “Trust is the biggest thing when you’re working with these guys. They have to believe that you want what is best for them.”
Williamson said trusting the process helped him look at his game differently and search for new ways to improve.
The larger test came a few weeks after his hamstring return, when Williamson sustained an adductor injury. Doctors initially projected an absence of roughly two months. Chrisp believed Williamson could beat that estimate, and the forward was back after two weeks, missing six games.
That recovery launched the longest uninterrupted stretch of Williamson’s career: 35 consecutive appearances. He then sat one game with the ankle issue and returned for 17 more.
Williamson and Chrisp stayed together throughout the offseason, carrying the daily work into camp. Chrisp has also posted workout footage and progress updates on social media, a more public presentation than Williamson has typically allowed during past summers.
Williamson said he would likely keep that work private if left to his own devices, but he sees value in allowing people to see the preparation rather than leaving room for outside speculation.
“Kris puts out what I’m doing so people can see what I have going on,” Williamson said. “It’s a way for me to show face.”
The forward said his biggest mental gain has been greater confidence in his game and in the work behind it. He said he is no longer second-guessing himself to the same degree.
New Orleans is betting that the improved conditioning, expanded recovery routine and last season’s availability can hold through a full schedule. Williamson’s recent run offers something tangible for that optimism, even as his injury history leaves the Pelicans with a familiar question heading into the year: whether the progress can remain in the rotation once the games begin.
