It’s a heavy detail but it’s worth its weight in gold. At the beginning of July, Zion Williamson and the New Orleans Pelicans NBA franchise decided to extend the common adventure and signed a new record contract of 231 million dollars (226 M €) over 5 years. .
But to receive the full amount, the 22-year-old, present at the start of July at the Quai 54 tournament in Paris, will have to fulfill and satisfy various criteria such as becoming All Star. But the most surprising clause concerns its weight.
According to NOLA News reporter Christian Clark, Williamson’s contract stipulates that he will be subject to regular, daily weigh-ins to check that he is not gaining weight. The sum of his weight and his fat mass rate should not exceed the figure of 295. A sine qua none condition to receive his full salary. In other words, he should not exceed 130 kilos for 1m98.
Such a condition is not uncommon in the NBA. Frenchman Boris Diaw also had to stabilize his weight when he played in San Antonio. The concern is that the one who was drafted in first place in 2019 is more often close to 150 kilos than 130. To achieve this, Williamson has secured the services of a personal cook, in the person of Christian Green. A gender specialist!
Considered a phenomenon of precocity, renowned for his speed and relaxation despite his physique, Williamson has rarely been able to show the extent of his abilities since the Draft with his team due to multiple physical glitches. He did not play a single game last season.