Zion Williamson Reveals What Criticisms Hurt Him Most, Says Injuries Were 'Blessing in Disguise'

Former No. 1 overall pick Zion Williamson has faced plenty of criticism as he's struggled to establish himself as a star in the league, but a certain criticism has hurt him the most.

"The part that was getting me the most was people saying I didn't care," Williamson said on NBA Today. "And I care a lot. I have really cared. And when you're not on the court and you have to just sit on the sideline, how much critics hated, I hated it more than them, because I don't want to be on the sideline. I want to be out there on the court."

He added that the ups and downs he's faced so far have been a "blessing in disguise."

"It did a lot on my mental, but it also helped me grow as a pro," he said. "So, I would say it's a blessing in disguise when you're looking at stuff like that, just trying to stay positive."

Perhaps no star has had as much trouble with injury luck as Williamson has over the past few years.

The top pick in the 2019 NBA Draft appeared on his way to stardom after a phenomenal sophomore season, but an offseason surgery left him sidelined for the entirety of the 2021-22 campaign. He then played just 29 games in 2022-23.

"The most difficult point was when I missed my third year with a broken foot," Williamson said. "There was a lot of criticism on my weight, my care for the game, etc. ...It was frustrating. It was very frustrating, but I was really low because I just wanted to play basketball."

In 2023-24, Williamson played a career-high 70 games and led the Pelicans to the playoffs, giving fans a glimpse into what he can do when he's healthy. His progress was once again halted, however, when he played just 30 games last year because of more injuries.

The 2025-26 campaign has been a bit more favorable for Williamson in terms of injuries. He played a career-high 35 consecutive games before an ankle injury forced him to miss Sunday's matchup against the Los Angeles Clippers.

In total, he's played 45 games, the third-most in his career, while averaging 21.5 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game.

Williamson's health hasn't translated to success for the Pelicans, though. They're currently sitting in 13th place in the West at 19-43.