Zion Williamson Is Off to Eyebrow-Raising Start at Pelicans Camp

He's giving the team major reason for hope.

Apr 3, 2026; Sacramento, California, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) during the second quarter against the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Entering his seventh season as an active NBA player, there's still no shortage of questions that follow Pelicans forward Zion Williamson. However, a change in head coach and an offseason for New Orleans as a whole to get healthy have generated some real optimism around the star.

As it turns out, some developments from the beginning of Pelicans training camp have only added to the belief that a big year could be in store for Williamson.

Zion Williamson's early Pelicans training camp is reason to get excited

The positive signs around Williamson are numerous. First, there was the reveal that Williamson has slimmed down to 271 lbs, while he's played at 284 lbs throughout his career, as the Athletic's Will Guillory notes.

Then there was Williamson setting the tone for himself with candid comments at Media Day, where he admitted he's not where he wants or needs to be at this stage in his career.

"I am not where I want to be... I am just not where I need to be and I'm not where I want to be.

-- Zion Williamson on how he feels about his NBA career pic.twitter.com/CDwsTI291w

— Pelicans Film Room (@PelsFilmRoom) September 28, 2026

And on top of this, Williamson's making a real effort to improve as a three-point shooter. He stuck around after practice ended on Tuesday to hit the self-imposed minimum of 50 he's set for himself, then was seen working on his shot (and looking quite good while doing so) on Wednesday.

Zion on Day 2 of training camp pic.twitter.com/Ovy2RlYBTu

— Rod Walker (@RodWalkerNola) September 30, 2026

On Thursday, Williamson even bested top Pelicans shooter Trey Murphy in one specific drill beyond the arc, with the latter passing along advice that Williams seemingly is already benefiting from.

Zion Williamson just beat Trey Murphy in a 3-point shooting round.

Trey been giving Z some chest up tips the last few cycles around the arc.

It’s working.#Pelicans pic.twitter.com/hCai6dVEOI

— Dodson (@DoingItDodson) October 1, 2026

It's difficult not to see these three elements—the weight loss, Williamson reckoning with what he has/hasn't accomplished, and growing as a shooter—as connected and an overall reflection of one thing: Williamson truly wants to develop into the force everyone hopes he can be on a consistent basis.

This is technically his eighth year in the NBA, and at that point, many players are what they are. This leads to teams grappling with some harsh truths and sometimes even harsher breakups if a player isn't eager to become more than what they've shown.

That's clearly not the case here with Williamson, who could be content with being a 20-plus ppg scorer when he's healthy and never adding to his repertoire to regularly make the All-Star team or the playoffs. Instead, he's changing major aspects of his game to help himself and his team find more success.

Whether it's finally being sick of missing games, a new coach providing motivation or some internal legacy desire as the driving force, all that matters is Williamson's undeniably putting in the work to not just be the same player New Orleans has grown familiar with.

Best of all, Williamson doesn't need to be someone else overnight, especially given his massive, overarching talent. But starting to lay the foundation for other skills positions him to age well, assuming he sticks around with the Pels for the long haul.

Williamson simply attempting more three-point shots would be a great start for the forward, who's hoisted up just 102 over his entire career and never made more than 10 in a single campaign.

Even hitting a third of his treys, something he hasn't done since 2023-24, and making something like 20-30 would be a nice dip into the three-point waters. That'd also start to put it on other teams' radars and create the vague semblance of another threat for New Orleans on the perimeter.

Williamson doesn't need to be the next Brook Lopez, who is one of the only major players to successfully transform their game in the latter stages of their career. But quietly building some positive movement on that front would do the forward and the Pels a lot of good.

It remains to be seen whether Williamson's attention beyond the arc pays off, but the early promising signs are there.