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🏀 Was Zion's Weight Loss a Good Idea?

🏀 Was Zion's Weight Loss a Good Idea?

Chris Lesiak
October 04, 2022

Suns shockingly drop preseason opener to Australian team, NBA refs aren't going to like Trae Young's tweet, and Shaq is hesitant about Zion's weight loss.

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PHOENIX SUNS

Suns Shockingly Drop Preseason Opener to Australian Team

It may only be preseason, but this latest Suns’ loss has gotta sting. The Suns' starters played 22 minutes but still lost to the Adelaide 36ers 134-124 on their home court.

The Adelaide 36ers aren’t exactly a juggernaut as they were the 7th best team in the NBL last season, with a 10-18 record. But perhaps the most surprising part of this victory was how well the 36ers shot the ball from three. The 36ers play from the FIBA 3-point line, which is about 18 inches closer to the basket than in the NBA, and still managed to shoot 24-36 from downtown. Players Craig Randall and Robert Franks combined for 67 points and 15 threes.

As for the Suns, Cam Payne was the top scorer with 23 points, while Mikal Bridges and Deandre Ayton each kicked in with 22, while Devin Booker had an uncharacteristically low 13 points. The Adelaide 36ers' next stop is the OKC Thunder and their Australian rising star, Josh Giddey. While an upset in OKC won’t be quite as shocking as beating Phoenix, it’s certainly something to look out for.

TRAE YOUNG

NBA Refs Are Not Going to Like Trae Young's Tweet

Trae Young has already developed a spirited relationship with NBA referees, and with his latest tweet, it’s unlikely to get better anytime soon. Young recently took to Twitter to rhetorically ask why officials don’t participate in postgame press conferences like everyone else.

Young is definitely on to something when he said: “instead of just making a call & moving on, now the call will mean something to THEM as well.” Referee accountability is a contentious topic in both NBA locker rooms and officiating circles alike, but such measures are unlikely to ever be agreed to by the referee union.

The NBA and the National Basketball Referees Association recently entered into a new 7-year collective bargaining agreement, which covered things like salary, travel, pension, and marketing issue rights; but unsurprisingly, increased accountability was not on the table.

SHAQ & ZION

Shaq is Hesitant About Zion's Weight Loss

There are few players NBA fans are more excited to see back on the court than Zion Williamson. Fresh off a massive contract, Williamson showed up to Media Day with a completely revamped physique, which only furthered the hype. However, not everyone is so sure that his weight loss was a good idea, namely, NBA great Shaquille O'Neal.

While on his podcast, “The Big Podcast with Shaq", O’Neal shared the following message regarding this new look Zion: "When I start losing weight getting thin, I would get injured more from contact but when I was big and looked out of shape, I was in charge, I was running people over, and they were fouling me like I wouldn't even feel it."

He added: "He's a big guy, did you see how he was jumping and how he was playing? So, now he looks good but he's Zion. So, they're gonna bring that pain, they gonna be bringing that force when they play against him, it's gonna be hard fouls. I just hope his new little body can withstand that."

Shaq is right that NBA opponents are going to play him tough because the reality is, the only thing that's ever slowed Zion down has been injuries. Zion has done everything he can to put himself in a position to succeed, and we're all rooting for him.