Stephen A. Smith's Brutal One-Word Statement on Zion Williamson

Stephen A. Smith doesn't mince words on Zion Williamson after latest injury update.

Mar 19, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) drives to the basket past Minnesota Timberwolves center Naz Reid (11) in the second half at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images | Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

Stephen A. Smith continues to criticize Zion Williamson after his latest setback to conclude the season.

On Monday, The New Orleans Pelicans officially shut down Williamson for the rest of the 2024-25 season due to a bruised bone in his back. This news came after the club's recent win over the Charlotte Hornets, but they're well out of contention for a playoff berth.

The no. 1 overall pick of the 2019 NBA draft has faced his share of criticism for the past six years, and Smith has made it no secret how he feels about him. As such, he made an unflinching assertion about the star forward during the latest episode of ESPN's First Take.

"The word 'bust' comes to mind, not because of [Zion's] talent." 😳 @stephenasmith reacts to the Pelicans shutting down Zion Williamson for the rest of the regular season. pic.twitter.com/OXEYLat5aX

— First Take (@FirstTake) April 1, 2025

"I feel very, very bad for the Pelicans and the city of New Orleans," Smith said. "Zion Williamson is a star-caliber talent. When he's on the court and healthy, he's a monster. The problem is he's rarely available."

"And as great as he is, the word 'bust' comes to mind. Not because of his talent; I'm only talking about his availability. If you're not available, it doesn't matter how great you are. And he's almost never available."

The host of First Take also noted that it will be difficult for the Pelican to trade its centerpiece because of his track record of injuries. Although he remains productive when healthy, his availibility will be a hinderance.

Mar 21, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) watches his team from the bench as they play the Minnesota Timberwolves in the fourth quarter at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images | Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images

Williamson played 30 games this season, averaging 24.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 5.3 assists. However, he has only logged an average of 42.8 games played over five seasons in New Orleans. Last year, he made appearances 70, his most to date, but he played in merely 30 games this season.

Smith thinks this is enough to label him a bust, but time will tell if the highly touted forward will live up to his initial hype.

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