Zion Williamson was once the Pelicans' hope of recovery, but is it likely to turn into a disappointing "injury" now? In terms of his NBA career, the young Pelican superstar has been plagued by injuries. Zion hasn't been on the pitch yet in the 2021-22 season, and a fractured right foot has been repeatedly torturing him.
At first, the Pelicans expected Zion to return in the final stages of the regular season, but encountered some setbacks in Zion's recovery process and he needed more time to fully recover. In January, Zion was asked to carry out only partial weight-bearing activities, and there was no date on his comeback schedule. Now, according to local media in New Orleans, Zion has developed soreness in his right foot after resuming training and may need a second operation.
Back in January, Zion issued a statement reiterating his commitment to New Orleans fans that he would return to the stadium as soon as possible. However, if his foot needs to be operated on again, the potential recovery time could allow Zion to miss at least the rest of this regular season. The Pelicans are still likely to make the playoffs, but even if they do, there's no guarantee Zion can catch up with the playoffs.
Without Zion, the Pelicans didn't do well. Last season, Zion averaged 27.0 points, 7.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game and was named to the All-Star Game. But currently plagued by injuries, he has not been able to make sustained progress this season. On the contrary, peer morant became a hot supernova in the NBA, and Zion gradually became the "injured Zhongyong" in the mouths of fans!