Is Zion Williamson playing tonight against the Houston Rockets? Latest on star forwards availability (Dec. 23)

Zion Williamson is questionable heading into the New Orleans Pelicans game against the visiting Houston Rockets. He is currently dealing with a non-COVID illness and will be a game-time decision for the coaching and medical staff. The Pelicans will be without Larry Nance Jr, Matt Ryan, and potentially Cody Zeller, who is dealing with an ankle sprain.

The Pelicans will likely be sweating on Zion's availability. The explosive forward adds a different dimension to the team's offense due to his size, strength, and elite second jump around the rim. With Zion on the court, the Pelicans always have an outlet who can bully his way to the rim and get high-quality looks at will.

Zion has played 23 games so far this season. He is averaging 22.0 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game, shooting 57.8% and 28.6% from 3-point range.

After struggling with health issues throughout his career, Pelicans fans will be hoping that Zion can remain healthy and begin improving his overall game. He needs the playing time to begin fulfilling the potential that saw him become the first-overall pick of the 2019 draft.

He might be in his fifth NBA season, but Zion has only played 137 regular-season NBA games. As such, he has earned a reputation for being injury-prone, which has raised concerns about his longevity at the elite level.

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Zion Williamson's professionalism continues to be questioned

Over the first few months of the current NBA season, Zion Williamson's weight has been a primary talking point. On a December 22 episode of ESPN's First Take, Shannon Sharpe became the latest media member to question Zion's commitment to a strict nutrition plan and conditioning regime.

Sharpe also questioned whether Zion loved the game of basketball. He referenced the reported "weight clause" in Zion's current contract and pointed to a lack of personal accountability as a primary reason why the Pelicans star continues to be questioned regarding his weight and conditioning.

The current rhetoric surrounding Zion could be incredibly damaging to his reputation around the league and his potential earning ability moving forward. Teams might question his professionalism and ability to remain healthy throughout the course of a contract.

The New Orleans Pelicans should ideally continue working with Zion and stressing the importance of a good diet and conditioning regime. After investing so much into the Duke product, they will undoubtedly be expecting him to take his game to another level and help lead them toward a championship push.

So far, things haven't gone to plan with Zion. However, that doesn't mean the powerful forward can't turn things around and prove his doubters and critics wrong.