Duke basketball great Zion Williamson inching closer to return, maybe
Former Duke basketball star Zion Williamson has missed almost two-thirds of the New Orleans Pelicans' games since turning pro in 2019. And it seems likely the two-time All-Star will sit out of the team's remaining 10 games this regular season due to a hamstring injury.
On Wednesday, the franchise tweeted that Williamson "has been cleared to return to on-court activities." However, the 22-year-old isn't set to return to game action just yet; according to the tweet, he "will be re-evaluated in two weeks."
With only 2.5 weeks remaining on the schedule and the Pelicans sitting at No. 12 in the Western Conference standings, chances are fans won't see the 6-foot-6, 285-pound phenom play again until next season, especially given how cautious the front office has been with him the past few years.
But it's not as if Zion Williamson's bank account is hurting. No, New Orleans signed him to a five-year rookie max extension last summer worth at least $193 million, even if injuries keep him on the sideline.
As Action Network's Darren Rovell tweeted this week, Williamson has already earned more than $26 million in his career from just sitting on the bench.
Jan. 2 was the last time Williamson saw minutes in a game. Although he's played only 29 times this season — after missing all last season with a fractured right foot — his stats were impressive enough to become a voted-in starter for February's NBA All-Star Game.
The famed NBA Blue Devil, who went No. 1 overall at the 2019 NBA Draft following his captivating one-and-done Duke basketball campaign, has averaged 25.8 points and 7.0 rebounds across his four-year pro career while shooting 60.5 percent from the field.
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Nevertheless, his durability will remain a giant question mark until he can string together a couple of relatively injury-free seasons.
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