The rising star is returning to team training and could strengthen the New Orleans squad in the days to come.
The New Orleans Pelicans are finally about to see the return of Zion Williamson to the court. The franchise listed the young talent as doubtful for Tuesday’s game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. That means he could be available to coach Willie Green for the first time in two months, after missing 27 consecutive games. As a result, the Louisiana team only managed to secure four wins during his absence.
The 24-year-old power forward has not stepped on the floor since early November, following a defeat against the Cleveland Cavaliers. He suffered an injury to his left thigh, and, as has been the case in his previous absences, his recovery took longer than expected. We thought he would miss about three weeks, but it ended up being more than double that.
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Green confirmed that Williamson participated in the team’s practice Monday, signaling that a return is imminent, if not against the Timberwolves. “There is a real chance that he will return this week, but we will see. He looked in good shape during our activities. You can say that he is improving day by day,” praised the coach afterwards training.
The player’s long rehabilitation process has also been marked by caution, given his recent history of thigh problems. He missed 45 games last season when he was selected as an All-Star due to a strain in that area. Last season, he injured his thigh during the play-in tournament and was unable to participate in the playoffs.
Those who see Williamson now might not remember it, but he was considered one of the biggest talents to come into the league in recent years. Even with various injuries, his performance on the court for the Pelicans has been impressive, recording averages of 22.7 points, 8.0 rebounds and 5.3 assists this season. Austin Rivers discusses the excitement surrounding the young star after his draft.
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“The NBA was waiting for Zion because he was ‘the’ prospect. You haven’t seen someone like him in college basketball since LeBron James. But, in truth, this kid was a unique physical specimen, even at this level “It was even scarier. We were talking about a guy with the body of an NFL linebacker who jumped like LeBron,” the former player recalled.
Williamson has become widely known for his internet highlights. Rivers thinks it will be a long time before we see a prospect with such incredible moments again. “His high school videos still don’t seem real today. He did a 360-degree dunk on a fast break, for example, and I still can’t believe I saw that. C “It’s the most powerful play I’ve ever seen in basketball,” he added.
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Zion Williamson’s constant injury comebacks were once moments of hope for Pelicans fans. However, after years, most fans no longer feel excitement. The power forward is in his sixth season in the NBA and has only played 190 games in his career so far. Still, journalist Will Guillory thinks there’s reason to have some enthusiasm in New Orleans.
“I know no one wants to hear this, but everyone in the organization says Zion is doing great. He’s been going through the recovery process really well. None of that matters until “he’s not going back on the field and, above all, he’s going to prove that he’s okay. But it would be fascinating to see him play alongside Dejounte Murray and the current version of Trey Murphy,” The reporter projected. Athletic.
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