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Is Zion Williamson too heavy for the physical forces he generates ?..

WCDawgWCDawg Posts: 17,293 ✭✭✭✭✭ Graduate
edited February 2019 in Basketball

I think so.

His Nike shoe came apart because of it, which caused the knee sprain. I think he has to lose 30lb or so to hold up in The NBA.

An 82 game schedule against the best big athetes in the world is brutal for anybody, let alone a souped up Mack Truck trying to hold up in Motocross.

Thoughts ?

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Comments

  • WCDawgWCDawg Posts: 17,293 ✭✭✭✭✭ Graduate

    Something to consider. Charles Barkley was a freak at Auburn, he played at 6'6'' around 290lb.

    His best playing weight in The NBA was around 250lb.

  • BankwalkerBankwalker Posts: 5,348 ✭✭✭✭✭ Graduate

    He hasnt been in a sttength and conditioning program yet. What he weighs 2 years from now after the NBA guys get him will probably be the same or more. Hard to draw any conclusions based on one shoe coming apart More likely to be defective He’s not the first 280lber to be jumping around on a basketball court He’s not King Kong

    Barkley played at Auburn before S&C was a big thing and he probably didnt work hard at anything. Brains on the Plains are optional.

  • bmauldinbmauldin Posts: 4,807 ✭✭✭✭✭ Graduate

    And yet, he can hit his head on the backboard.

    Just imagine how high he could jump if the 30lbs was holding him back...😳

  • Canedawg2140Canedawg2140 Posts: 1,832 ✭✭✭✭✭ Graduate

    Coached against the kid all through high school. Went from 215-235-255-270 during his 4 years and actually got QUICKER each year. Kid turns 19 in June - that's right, he won't turn 19 until a couple weeks before the draft. No one knows what his grown-man size will actually be. Until then, "controlling" his weight/size is a moot point. It's not like he is carrying a lot of bad weight - it's pretty much muscle. He is still growing, and will continue for probably another couple of years. He has more natural agility/body control than any player I have ever seen at any level. His size/weight may limit his NBA career to 12 great years instead of 15-16, but it's gonna be an incredible decade-plus. Projecting his career/size/potential is still pretty tough because we still have no idea just how big he is going to get - I have been waiting for him to slow down (as far as growing) for 3 years, and it hasn't happened yet. Not that I am an expert or anything, but I caution anyone who puts limits on this guy that would apply to most guys (as far as what he needs to weigh, etc.). He is no less unique than Shaq was - one of a kind.

  • WCDawgWCDawg Posts: 17,293 ✭✭✭✭✭ Graduate

    Bankwalker. It's the 82 game schedule and NBA pace that sheds to fat more than training.

  • WCDawgWCDawg Posts: 17,293 ✭✭✭✭✭ Graduate

    Canedawg. I've read the articles. He was 6'3'' 175 his freshman year. He kept adding weight and getting more athletic.

    That isn't the same as carrying the weight with his style of running and jumping over 82 games season after season. He'd put LESS force on his joints if he was slower and didn't jump as high. If Shaq had moved like Williamson does he would have broken down much sooner, he broke down relatively young as it was.

  • WCDawgWCDawg Posts: 17,293 ✭✭✭✭✭ Graduate

    bmauldin. I'm eager to see what he does at 250lb. He might be the most dynamic big to ever play the game.

    If anybody thinks the bulk actually helps him jump higher, you must think physics is more suggestion than law.

  • 3rdshift3rdshift Posts: 546 ✭✭✭✭ Senior

    80 plus games as a starter has been 2 much..since the jump...not wise imo to treat your investment in your players that way....not to mention a starters body...esp bigs.....also it lends to a bad boring product.... zion will be fine...in the nba he will be in top 1% of players ....he can play 8-10 yrs and prob net 80-100m$ on salary alone...if his knees hurt @ 30... he can call his $ manager to ease the pain....

  • WCDawgWCDawg Posts: 17,293 ✭✭✭✭✭ Graduate

    3rdshift. 82 games is about revenue. They can't put 60K in the seats and charge 150 per ticket like The NFL. I'm betting if players were given the option of playing half as many games for half as much money, they'd take the money. Basketball at the NBA level is a lean man's game.

  • TNDawg71TNDawg71 Posts: 2,218 ✭✭✭✭✭ Graduate

    At the very least he may need to redistribute the weight. I'm not 100% sure though that a shoe blow out and injury is caused by his size or just a really bad manufactured shoe.

  • Canedawg2140Canedawg2140 Posts: 1,832 ✭✭✭✭✭ Graduate

    My 2 cents worth, again... there's a chance (good chance) he hasn't stopped growing yet. He's 18 and a half. Hard to lose weight when you are still growing - and any outlandish efforts to drop weight to fit a "profile" may hamper his natural physical development. We may see him at a different weight eventually, but I would caution trying to lose a lot right now. Duke's S&C program is top-tier. I would imagine he is getting the best in that regard.

    WC - I am not sure what articles you read, so I don't want to dispute your numbers. From a very close vantage point I can make a educated estimation that he weighed A LOT more than 175 in Jan/Feb of his freshman year. Broke his wrist early in that season, and didn't return to the floor until mid Jan. By mid Feb the spookiness was becoming obvious.

    I thought he was Larry Johnson-ish as a high school Junior. More like a Dominique/Barkley clone as a senior. Now it's obvious that he is just different than everyone. The only certainty I would put on him is that he won't be wearing stock shoes anymore...

  • WCDawgWCDawg Posts: 17,293 ✭✭✭✭✭ Graduate

    TNDawg71. I'd bet money the shoe blowout had a lot to do to the stress of 285lb moving like Williamson does put on them.

  • WCDawgWCDawg Posts: 17,293 ✭✭✭✭✭ Graduate

    Cane. All Zion will likely need to do to lose weight is have a healthy diet and play an NBA schedule. He'd be wise to drop at least some weight before next season though.

  • Canedawg2140Canedawg2140 Posts: 1,832 ✭✭✭✭✭ Graduate

    And, from a physics standpoint since it was mentioned...

    The momentum he creates is the measurable that is so impressive. That speed at that mass is what is so unstoppable. Never seen it before on anyone.

    Not sure if he needs to jump higher (and, yes - that sounds crazy to even type...). Would his vertical go to 50" if he lost 30 lbs? Would a greater speed at less mass make him better? Sounds like a thesis statement for somebody's PhD...

    I know the normal human body is not supposed to endure that much stress (on joints, ligaments, etc.) over a long period of time. There are stories after stories of terrific athletes who "outperformed their bodies." Maybe Bo Jackson and his crazy hip injury comes to mind. But look at LeBron - until this groin thing, the most impressive thing about him may be his history (or lack of) on the injured list. Some guys are just made differently.

    This is a great debate. I just happen to think he will be in his 3rd year in the league before we know what his true build may be. If it turns out to be 6'8", 300, then we may only see 7-8 years of dominance. But man, it will be dominant - and then there will be 2 seasons of Sports Science dedicated just to him...

  • WCDawgWCDawg Posts: 17,293 ✭✭✭✭✭ Graduate

    Cane. Christian Okoye comes to mind. A 255lb RB who was more explosive than most 200lb backs was very freakish. Alas he wore down very quickly though.

    Zion will follow the course Charles Barkley did. The NBA schedule will trim him down to 250lb or there about.

  • WCDawgWCDawg Posts: 17,293 ✭✭✭✭✭ Graduate

    For a good reference point, Lebron is 6'8'' 250lb.

  • BankwalkerBankwalker Posts: 5,348 ✭✭✭✭✭ Graduate
    edited February 2019

    Will Bol Bol add more weight than Williamson loses? If the Hawks are drafting 5th they might be making a choice between Bol and someone else. He is the only other player in the country other than Zion to be averaging 20pts/9rebs/2 blks a game. Hopefully Dallas finishes in the Top 10 and the Hawks can get two of these guys.

  • WCDawgWCDawg Posts: 17,293 ✭✭✭✭✭ Graduate
    edited February 2019

    Bol is going around 15th in some mocks, which makes me wonder if there is some negative other than being very skinny. He hits a high percentage on 3 pt attempts, which is gold for front court players in today's NBA.

  • 3rdshift3rdshift Posts: 546 ✭✭✭✭ Senior

    i get the model...ive heard it called the theme park model....getting 5 more yrs of your superstar vs the time when the player is young and making entertaining plays...also all the free marketing for your team when players are in adds. im sure they have run the numbers.....i guess you make hay while the sun is shining.

  • WCDawgWCDawg Posts: 17,293 ✭✭✭✭✭ Graduate

    3rdshift. Speaking from the perspective of a 62 year old man who has led a very physically active life, it's not JUST the miles, age brings it's own erosions of abilities. So getting that money in their 20s and early 30s is more than short term thinking.

    I'd much rather play more games while young than hope to spread it out over more years.

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