Zion Williamson Injury: 2021 Return Ruled Out, Pelicans’ Star Could Miss Much More Time

Zion Williamson hasn’t played during the 2021-2022 NBA season, and it doesn’t sound like he’ll be returning anytime soon. The New Orleans Pelicans star won’t be re-evaluated for another four to six weeks as he continues to recover from a foot injury.

Williamson received an injection in his fractured right foot. The 21-year-old will be limited to low-impact activities for an extended period, according to the Pelicans. Further imaging will be done on Williamson’s injured foot in one month, at the earliest.

"I don't necessarily want to speak for him, but I have spoken to him, but it's just been frustrating for everyone," Pelicans head coach Willie Green said Thursday, via ESPN. "We're continuing to navigate adversity. We want to be encouraging and hopeful. It's just something that he's dealing with and we're all dealing with as an organization. We just have to try and keep getting through it. But it's been tough."

The Pelicans are scheduled to hit the midway point of the season on Jan. 9 with their 41st game. The longer Williamson continues his recovery, the more likely it seems that he’ll miss a very large chunk of the season.

Setbacks have kept Williamson off the court one season after he made his first NBA All-Star team. Williamson was one of the league’s most exciting players in his second year, during which he averaged 29.3 points on 61.1% shooting. Williamson averaged 22.5 points and 6.3 rebounds per game as a rookie.

Williamson spent most of his first season on the bench. Injuries have been the story of his early NBA career. One of the most touted prospects in league history, Williamson has only played 85 games since being taken first overall in the 2019 NBA Draft.

Without Williamson, New Orleans has gone 9-20. The Pelicans are one game ahead of the Oklahoma City Thunder for the worst record in the Western Conference.