"It was eye-opening to see him get suspended" - NBA insider makes major claim about Zion Williamson amid concerns of 264-lb star's Pelicans future

Shams Charania talked about Zion Williamson during his appearance on "The Pat McAfee Show" on Friday, discussing the New Orleans Pelicans forward's recent play, his health status and what it will take for him to ascend into true greatness.

Williamson is one of basketball's brightest young stars, but consistent injuries and work ethic concerns have hindered an extremely promising career. Charania spoke about the Pelicans star's recent play and the elite form he has been in, noting his two triple-double performances in the past two weeks.

According to Charania, Williamson’s past struggles with discipline — which culminated in his January suspension for being late to a team flight — were a wake-up call for him.

"That was the first time the Pelicans reprimanded him for tardiness, and that goes on throughout the NBA, but it was eye opening to see," the insider said.

Charania believes that if Williamson, who reportedly weights 264 lbs currently, wants to take his game to the next level, professionalism is key.

"The next step for him [Zion Williamson] is showing that commitment, showing that devotion, continuing to grow as a professional, and part of that is being on time, all of the time," Charania said.

"Greatness and that superstardom level, that elite, All-NBA, All-World, level of play, that comes with commitment, that comes with devotion, clearly from a health perspective he's had some bad luck, the hamstring over and over again, but part of that is preparation too."

Zion Williamson notches two triple-doubles in two weeks

The New Orleans Pelicans have been devastated by injuries this season. For a team that is usually in the mix in the Western Conference when healthy, the Pelicans have won just 18 games so far and sit at the bottom of the conference in 14th place.

One of their biggest losses this season has been Zion Williamson, who has played in only 28 of the Pelicans’ 67 games. Fortunately for the team, Williamson has been healthy as of late and is playing some of the best basketball of his career.

On Feb. 28, in a victory over the Suns, Williamson recorded the first triple-double of his career with 27 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists.

NBA: Los Angeles Clippers at New Orleans Pelicans - Source: Imagn

Less than two weeks later, on March 11, Zion Williamson secured his second triple-double. In just 32 minutes of action, he posted 22 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists to help the Pelicans earn their 18th win of the season against the LA Clippers.

The victory helped New Orleans snap a four-game losing streak, which included back-to-back losses to the Houston Rockets. However, following their win over the Clippers, the Pelicans lost at home to the Orlando Magic.