Without their superstar talent Zion Williamson this season, the New Orleans Pelicans have struggled. But as you can imagine, things weren’t supposed to go this way.
Once we learned of Williamson breaking his foot during offseason training, no one knew what to expect, but it had been anticipated that the explosive big would return to the court at some point during the 2021-22 NBA season.
As weeks went by, the odds of him getting back on the hardwood have continued to shrink. Now? The door might be slammed completely shut.
Zion Williamson expected to miss entire 2022-23 season
According to Christian Clark of the New Orleans Times-Picayune, Zion might be in line for a second surgery on his injured right foot.
Last week, Griffin said Williamson will have another round of medical imaging done on his right foot either this week or next week. Williamson has dealt with a series of setbacks on his injured right foot over the past four months.
Williamson has been overweight for virtually all of his pro career, which has complicated the recovery process. He must lose weight in order to decrease the amount of force he puts on his right foot when he runs, cuts and jumps. But it’s difficult for Williamson to lose weight without running, cutting and jumping.
Williamson was supposed to return to practice in December, but he began experiencing soreness in his right foot. That month, he flew to Los Angeles to have an injection to promote healing. It is possible he will need a second surgery on his right foot, sources said, but nothing has been decided.
Christian Clark on Zion Williamson
With just 24 games left to play, there’s no chance we’ll see Williamson on an NBA court this season, which is a shame. Hopefully, he can get healthy and be in great shape to begin the 2022-23 season. Basketball is a much more exciting sport with Zion on the court, instead of the sidelines.