10:04 pm ET
Andrew LopezESPN
New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson tried to maintain a low profile on social media as he rehabilitated a broken right leg that kept him off the field for the entire 2021-22 season.
That changed on Tuesday evening.
Williamson posted a five-second clip to his Instagram story of himself at Pelicans Stadium throwing the ball from the backboard, catching it and going between his legs before finishing with a left hand.
Williamson returned to the New Orleans area on March 5 after spending two months in Portland continuing his rehabilitation.
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Since then, the team has not allowed him to work much on the court. During practices that were open to the press, Williamson did some shooting—no jumping—with his player development coaches.
The Pelicans have not given any official updates on Williamson’s status since March 5, when the team said he was showing improved signs of bone healing and would gradually transition to full-body exercise and basketball games.
Williamson was announced to have received a fracture on Media Day in September, with both the front office and Williamson himself expressing optimism that he could be ready for the start of the regular season.
Instead, Williamson suffered many setbacks throughout the season.
He was close to returning in December and was supposed to have his first practice with the team on December 2, but instead the Pelicans held him up and announced that he was winding down his progress towards a 5-on-5 job.
On December 11, the team announced that he would be further weakened, and six days later he was given an injection in his leg to facilitate the healing process.
In January, he temporarily left the team to continue rehab in Portland before returning earlier this month.
In three seasons, Williamson played in just 85 career games, including 24 as a rookie when he missed the first 13 weeks of the season with a torn meniscus in his right knee. Williamson’s initial time frame for this injury was 6-8 weeks.