re: Shams: Zion has began investing alot of money and time into his body

Its the freaking raiders. Plus that was years ago and he turned around our defense. This is the wrong board for this but no one cans a guy after one year. Im not an Allen fan but firing after him one year is just dumb.

SVG had only had one year

It's hard to say until he faces adversity. He's never had issues getting in good enough shape to play when he's been healthy in the offseason.

His issues only spiral out of control when he's injured, rehabbing, and falling hard on his bad habits.

Staying healthy would be great but he's going to need to prove that he can be professional when he's rehabbing.

The big thing I'll be looking for is whether he's just physically smaller. I never thought he needed more time in the weight room. Never thought playing at 3 bills was ok so long as you had 10% body fat. Past a certain point weight is weight whether it's muscle or fat. It's an 82-game season + the playoffs (hopefully). He just needs to be lighter. More cardio. Less mass. Playing down around 250-260pds even if it means less muscle. I've never thought Z's team bought into that idea. I hope this new approach means he has.

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I've never thought Z's team bought into that idea. I hope this new approach means he has.

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They still don't. His bulk makes him special. It gives him power. But it's a short window and not sustainable. It will start to diminish over time. He wants to maximize it while he has it. But he just wasted 4 seasons.

Injuries happen and it's not always about his size/weight. But no one knows how to manage what he is trying to accomplish. It runs counter to conventional basketball training, cause he's training like a football player. He's trying to hold onto bulk while everyone else is shedding any weight that is unnecessary.

It's a fascinating struggle, especially from a health and fitness lens. I've never seen anything like this. I've seen tons of guys be too fat to play. But never a guy intentionally trying to stay big and play. I'd love to see a deep dive into his training where he talked about his goals. I think it's never been broadcast cause of how silly it will sound. But I'd still like to hear it..

Why in the duck has he not done this after the draft?

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Why in the duck has he not done this after the draft?

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Because when you’ve been great at something for so long without having to do extra then it will take you time to realize when it stops working and you have to try a different approach.

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think Z would still be wrecking ball @260 pounds. It worked for Barkley, who came into the league at 300 pounds but quickly realized it was not sustainable and dropped into the 250-260 range. Sir Charles played for 15-years relatively injury free. I hold out hope Z will follow the same path...

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Maybe. They play very differently. Barkley was small, but he generally played under the rim and banged like a traditional big. He was explosive. But he didn't elevate constantly and crash into others in mid air.

For lack of a better way to put it, Zion plays reckless. He initiates contact. He's not getting hurt by doing that. All the muscle and bulk insulates him to a degree. It's just carrying all that mass makes him vulnerable for other types of injuries, like all these lower extremity ones he keeps getting.

Zion is also way more physically developed and muscular than Barkley. It's a drastic comparison. I'd love for Zion to go sub 250. But he'd be a different player and would have to change things up for sure. I actually think he is miscast as a 4 (or a big)..

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It's hard to say until he faces adversity. He's never had issues getting in good enough shape to play when he's been healthy in the offseason.

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The entire country calling you fat and making fun of your love life isn’t adversity?