Stephen A. Fires at Zion Williamson: “He Hides Food Under the Bed”
Stephen A. Smith takes aim at Zion Williamson with harsh accusations about his weight and eating habits. The Pelicans respond with a viral video – and the controversy explodes
The relationship between Zion Williamson and Stephen A. Smith has never been gentle. But this time, it went beyond simple basketball criticism. It turned personal. And the New Orleans Pelicans decided to step in publicly to defend the face of their franchise.
The Accusations: “Addicted to Food”
It all started with an interview in which Zion firmly pushed back against the narrative portraying him as overweight and unconcerned about his NBA future. Words that didn’t convince Smith – who instead doubled down on his show, claiming that certain information had even come from inside the organization.
The information about Zion came from inside. People very close to him wanted us to talk about certain things
Stephen A. Smith
Then came the most controversial stretch: a comparison to far more serious addictions and the label of “food addict”. All the way to recounting a rumor circulating around NBA circles that Zion had allegedly been “caught hiding food under his bed”.
Nothing was made up… there are people who are alcoholics, drug addicts and so on. What was Zion’s problem? Food! Addicted to food! People used to joke that in New Orleans anyone who cooked – a restaurant, a chef, your grandmother – knew Zion and he knew them… someone told me he was caught hiding food under his bed
Stephen A. Smith
At that point, the line between sports analysis and personal attack became razor-thin.
To hell with all that bullsh*t about Stephen A
LeBron James to Zion Williamson
Zion’s Side: Injury, Frustration and Criticism
In a recent interview with Malika Andrews, Williamson opened up about one of the most difficult stretches of his professional life: the Jones fracture in his right foot that forced him to miss the entire 2021–22 season.
I was really down, because all I wanted to do was play basketball
Zion Williamson
During rehab, criticism about his weight and commitment only intensified. Every absence became a talking point, every photo dissected. The irony? Those accusations came while he was working his way back from a serious injury.
Meanwhile, the numbers tell a complicated story: in his seventh NBA season, Zion has played 259 of a possible 574 games (45.2% availability).
The Pelicans’ Response: Social Media Trolling and Direct Shots
Despite ongoing trade rumors involving the former No. 1 overall pick, the franchise chose not to stay silent.
Just hours after the TV segment aired, the Pelicans’ official X account posted an ironic video aimed at Smith. Caption: “Stick to solitaire, Stephen” – a reference to a past moment when the analyst was caught on camera playing solitaire during an NBA game.
The video featured a montage of awkward moments: missed shots on a basketball court, a disastrous ceremonial first pitch at an MLB game, clumsy movements during a boxing workout, even a slip on the court.
It wasn’t the first time. Back in 2024, after another critique about Zion’s weight, the team posted a similar reel sarcastically titled “Flock it, Stephen A. Smith highlights”.
This time, however, the tweet went viral within hours, drawing Smith’s attention. He promised a response on the next episode of First Take.
Pulling out stuff from a decade, two decades, three decades ago, ???? No problem. See y’all tomorrow on FirstTake. Remember one thing: YOU ASKED FOR THiS!!!!
Stephen A. Smith
In other words: this story isn’t over.