Here’s why the Grizzlies have Ziaire Williams on a 5,000-calorie diet

The Memphis Grizzlies have had an up-and-down Summer League season thus far. Among other players, Desmond Bane has emerged as an unexpected leader. In just his second year in the league, he has brought a veteran presence that has helped the Grizzlies along the way this summer.

In the past couple of games, however, fans’ eyes have been focused on another player. That player is Ziaire Williams’ the Grizzlies 10th-overall pick in the most recent NBA Draft.

Williams didn’t appear in the Grizzlies’ first couple of Summer League games, as the trade that brought him to Memphis hadn’t gone through until recently. In his first game, he had a quiet outing, scoring just 7 points. Game two saw him step up, however, as he dropped 19 points and made it look easy at times.

Somehow, this wasn’t the focus of the game.

Memphis Grizzlies rookie Ziaire Williams’ 5,000-calorie diet turned heads during the broadcast

The Grizzlies’ rookie in Ziaire Williams has come to Beale Street to play basketball. Even so, his basketball has been overshadowed by his diet in just a matter of two games. Here’s why.

During the broadcast, Grizzlies’ commentator Pete Pranica mentioned the fact that Williams was on a 5,000-calorie diet. This is jarring, as the average male eats under 2,500 calories in a single day. Williams’ diet is double that.

This, in all likelihood, is an effort to get Williams’ weight up, which is one of his distinct weaknesses as a rookie. In just two games in the Summer League, we haven’t seen any issues related to his size yet. That said, at 6-8, Williams weighs just 186 pounds.

For reference, Kyle Anderson is another tall, long player on the Memphis Grizzlies. At 6-9, Anderson weighs roughly 230 pounds and still looks extremely skinny out on the court. Despite his weight, Williams has been finishing emphatically near the rim, earning the bulk of his points via layup or dunk.

In the Grizzlies’ most recent Summer League game, Williams was also knocking down 3-point shots, which was another concerning part of his game as a draft prospect. Against the Heat, Williams went 4-for-6 from long-range, giving Grizz fans a sigh of relief.

If Williams is able to get his weight up and consistently knock down 3-pointers, his floor will be extremely high as a player. It’s too early to say with certainty but so far, it looks like Memphis made the right pick.