New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson will be out for several weeks with a thigh strain.
That Pelicans announced the injury On Monday. It will be re-evaluated in three weeks.
Williamson picked up the injury on Monday against the Philadelphia 76ers. He pulled up and grabbed his right leg after dribbling up the court. He left the game and didn’t return. An MRI on Tuesday confirmed the severity of the injury.
The often-injured Pelicans star had remained relatively healthy so far this season as he led New Orleans to a 23-14 start that put them a game behind the first-ranked Denver Nuggets in the West, who entered the NBA on Tuesday list have been included. News of his injury comes as a huge blow to the Pelicans and to Williamson, who has more than 61 games left in a single NBA season.
A torn meniscus limited Williamson to just 24 games during his 2019-20 rookie campaign. He missed all of last season with a broken foot and a difficult recovery that left him sidelined longer than expected.
Zion Williamson will be out for at least three weeks. (Bill Streicher/Portal)
He came to camp healthy and in shape this season, playing 29 of the Pelicans’ first 37 games. He’s averaged 26 points, 7 rebounds, 4.6 assists, and 1.1 steals while shooting 60.8% from the floor as the Pelicans emerged as a Western Conference contender.
The Pelicans also play without All-Star forward Brandon Ingram, who has been sidelined for 18 games with a bruised toe. Head coach Willie Green told reporters on Tuesday Ingram “builds up” to a return but did not offer a timeline. The Pelicans are 12-6 since Ingram was sidelined.
The Pelicans will rely more on CJ McCollum and Jonas Valanciunas to carry the offensive load while their All-Stars are sidelined.