Four-time NBA champion and long-time vegan advocate John Salley is known for his unique perspective, both on and off the court. In a recent discussion, “The Spider” weighed in on the league’s most talked-about phenom, Victor Wembanyama, offered a defense of Zion Williamson, and addressed the long-standing “false narrative” surrounding his former Detroit Pistons teammate, Isiah Thomas.
Wembanyama: Kareem’s Height, Shorter Fella’s Skills
Salley didn’t hesitate to declare himself a fan of the French star, Victor Wembanyama, but offered a realistic comparison that centers purely on physical attributes.
“I’m a fan because he’s coming in from France. I’m a fan because he’s Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s height; nowhere close to the talent of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s talent, however, but some of his skill sets are that of a shorter fella.”
Salley views Wembanyama’s immediate arrival as an opportunity to change everything, particularly given his early entry into the league. He dismissed comparisons to the hype surrounding LeBron James, instead focusing on Wembanyama’s physical development.
Recalling his own NBA journey, Salley, who was famously thin, related to the pressure to bulk up.
“Everybody wanted me to get more muscle… I think once his body develops into this lifestyle of America—plus everybody has to pay attention that this kid is a KID. And he’s going to be thrown up against everything.”
He concluded that Wembanyama is in the “right place being down there with [Gregg] Popovich,” an environment suited for navigating the challenges ahead.
A Plant-Based Defense for Zion Williamson
When the conversation turned to Zion Williamson, who has faced relentless criticism over his weight and fitness, Salley came to his defense, placing the blame on the demands of the professional game and cultural diet, not the player.
“When you become a professional athlete, EVERYTHING becomes a part of that profession—your intake of food, your workout regimen, your hangout regimen, your mentality of study…”
Salley argued that Williamson’s injuries and weight struggles were not “Zion’s fault” but a consequence of the massive leap from college to the pros.
“The reason why he was going to get hurt was because we play 15 games a month in the NBA. They play 30 games a year in college. So in two months he played a college career/season… The flights are different, the environment is different.”
As a longtime advocate for healthy eating, Salley pointed directly to the Western diet as the culprit. For an NBA player—a “Formula One car”—the only acceptable fuel is “octane” provided by plant-based food and strict control over water, sugary drinks, and fast food.
The Myth of Isiah’s Disrespect
As a member of the “Bad Boy” Pistons, Salley played alongside some of the most competitive and polarizing figures in NBA history, including Isiah Thomas and Dennis Rodman.
Regarding Rodman, Salley laughed, stating there is “NO other Dennis Rodman.”
“Dennis is from a planet that’s outside my planet… There has never been in the NBA a specimen of him, the thought process and the ability to be in the pros with only playing 5 years of basketball.”
However, Salley was serious when discussing the persistent “disrespect” directed at Isiah Thomas, calling the narrative a “false narrative.”
He referred to the long-standing belief that Thomas refused to pass the ball to Michael Jordan during the 1992 Dream Team selection controversy.
“Isiah took the fall when they said that he didn’t want to give the ball to Michael, which when you’re watching that game he gave the ball to Michael the whole time.”
Salley, who shared an agent with Jordan, admitted that the beef was often personal on Jordan’s side. “Michael and I had the same agent and at times he wanted me not to like Isiah. That was his personal thing.”
Ultimately, Salley concluded that there is “no reason for it to be like that,” firmly asserting that Thomas is “really a good guy” who was unfairly maligned by a distorted story.
