Where is Zion Williamson from? Looking into troubled Pelicans superstar's early life

Zion Williamson, when healthy, is recognized as one of the elite young talents in the NBA. With only 29 games played in the 2022-23 regular season due to injuries, he still averaged 26.0 points (60.8% shooting, including 36.8% from 3-point range) and 7.0 rebounds.

The Pelicans star was born in Salisbury, North Carolina, to Lateef Williamson and Sharonda Sampson. Growing up, Zion Williamson was versatile when it came to sports as he was capable of playing basketball, football and soccer. However, basketball ended up being his priority as he continued to improve upon his craft at a young age.

Zion encountered hurdles in his life after his maternal grandmother passed away, and the Williamson family had to move Florence, South Carolina. Unfortunately, not long after the move, his parents filed for a divorce with his mother marrying Lee Anderson.

Williamson attended Spartanburg Day School, where he was a five-star recruit. He later went to Duke, where he played for only one season in preparation for the 2019 NBA Draft.

The New Orleans Pelicans selected him first overall with the goal of building a championship team.

When healthy, Zion Williamson has shown flashes of his dominance on the court at both the offensive and defensive end. The size, speed and strength he plays with is unmatched as rival teams struggle to slow him down.

Unfortunately, he has faced difficulties in staying healthy.

On a brighter note, Williamson announced this week on social media that he was going to have a baby girl with his girlfriend Ahkeema. However, things took a sour turn for Zion as adult film star Moriah Mills tweeted about her recent private encounters with Williamson.

ESPN's Stephen A. Smith reacts to recent trending news concering Zion Williamson

The Pelicans forward has received a lot of media traction due to the recent news being discussed on different platforms.

ESPN's Stephen A. Smith, who spoke on "The Stephen A. Smith Show," gave his perspective on Zion Williamson's recent allegations.

“Man, you only played 29 games last year and you missed the season before that," Smith said. "What the hell is taking you so long to get healthy? Well, now I know."

It'll be interesting how this issue develops, especially with Williamson expected to return healthy next season.