"This is embarrassing" - Shannon Sharpe tears into Zion Williamson's lack of motivation reacting to Pelicans star's weight clause in contract

Shannon Sharpe took to his podcast and revisited the absurdity of Zion Williamson’s contract, which, according to some reports, included a weight clause. Sharpe, who has often expressed his disappointment in Williamson’s lingering weight issues, yet again ripped apart the New Orleans Pelicans star’s lack of motivation.

On Monday's episode of “Nightcap,” Sharpe revealed that the greatest athletes are motivated to create a legacy in their respective sports and are not as driven by money in their pursuit of being legendary.

"The only thing that is sustainable is self motivation, because you get so but you get enough money, then it won't move you," he said. "… LeBron James played like he ain't got a dime. Michael Jordan played like he didn't have a dime.

"Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, all those great Ray Lewis, Michael Strahan, Reggie White, all the greats, because it is not the money that's motivating them.”

Sharpe highlighted the uniqueness of Williamson’s weight clause—it's the only one of its kind in the league. He expressed disbelief that an athlete would need a financial incentive just to lose weight and stay in peak condition.

"At what point, how much money do I need? I just hope he gets it and says, ‘You know what? Da** it. Enough of this. This is embarrassing. I'm a professional athlete, and these people got to put clauses in my contract. I'm making 200 million, and they gotta incentivize it, just so I can get it’. Let that sink in," Sharpe concluded.

Sharpe is justified in being frustrated. Since being drafted in 2019, Zion Williamson has struggled to control his weight. This same challenge has resulted in serious injuries and caused him to miss large portions of seasons.

The forward’s rookie max extension contains a clause requiring him to maintain a combined weight and body fat percentage of 295 or less. If he surpasses that threshold, the guaranteed portion of his $193 million contract could be reduced.

Zion Williamson is the lightest he’s ever been since getting drafted

In a challenging 2024-2025 season, New Orleans fans received a silver lining with news about Zion Williamson. ESPN’s Michael Wright reported that the star has trimmed down significantly, now weighing 264 pounds—the lightest he’s been in his NBA career.

This weight loss has clearly boosted his performance. Since his return to action in mid-January, the 24-year-old has been playing some of the best basketball of his career, averaging 25.3 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 4.6 assists over 14 games.

Despite Zion Williamson’s resurgence, the Pelicans continue to struggle. Willie Green’s team currently sits 14th in the stacked West with a 14-43 record. With a win percentage of just 24.6%, the Louisiana side can potentially finish with the franchise’s worst regular season since 2004-2005.