Zion Williamson Suffers Setback, Return Date Unclear

Pelicans forward Zion Williamson has reportedly suffered a setback in his rehab process and it is now unclear when he will return to the court.

In a statement obtained by ESPN's Andrew Lopez, the Pelicans said Williamson will be sidelined for an extended period.

"After experiencing persistent soreness in his right foot, Zion Williamson underwent medical imaging which showed a regression in the bone healing of his fifth metatarsal," the Pelicans said. "As a result, the volume and intensity of his training will be reduced for an extended period to help allow for further bone healing."

Williamson, 21, has yet to play this season as he recovers from offseason surgery to repair a fracture in his right foot. New Orleans announced on Dec. 2 that Williamson was still experiencing soreness in his foot. As a result, he did not return to full team drills as expected.

Since being drafted first overall in the 2019 NBA Draft, Williamson has played in just 85-of-172 games. He played in 24 games during his rookie season in 2019-20, tearing his meniscus before the season began. Upon returning, Williamson showed the NBA world why he was selected first overall. Williamson averaged 22.5 points and 6.3 rebounds per game on an efficient 58.3% from the field.

In 2020-21, Williamson suited up in 61-of-72 games and earned his first All-Star nod. Williamson built off his rookie campaign with averages of 27.0 points and 7.2 rebounds per game, shooting 61.1% from the field.

The Pelicans have bottomed out without Williamson in the lineup, sitting at 8-20, last place in the Western Conference.

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