Pelicans Injury Report: Is Zion Williamson Playing Tonight vs OKC Thunder? 2x All-Star Provides Update On Return

The New Orleans Pelicans fought a valiant battle against the Los Angeles Lakers and lost. They did the same against the Sacramento Kings and won. The Pelicans made it to the playoffs with the Oklahoma City Thunder on the opposing side. Game 1 saw them lose once again. And Zion Williamson was not on the court during the defeat. These are facts that you do know.

What you are eagerly waiting for now is the update on Williamson’s return. As the matchup is scheduled to tip off at 9:30 PM ET, the injury report for the NBA All-Rookie First Teamer stays the same. He is listed as ‘Out’ due to a left hamstring strain.

Interestingly though, this comes in the wake of a piece of promising news, the 2x All-Star himself provided. When Zion was asked whether his return was more realistic now than before, he replied, “That is definitely realistic. That’s absolutely realistic. But like I said, I gotta pass tests, get to baseline, and hopefully, I’ll be out there.”

“Definitely” and “Absolutely” – two words often used interchangeably. But rarely used together. Unless we are talking about those cliche queen bees and their clique. But, back to the point, definitely would mean that Williamson would want it to be realistic. Absolutelyon the other hand, would mean that come what may, he will take the floor.

Seeing as how the Pelicans superstar added a ‘but,’ and listed the different steps he has to take before he can fully suit up and the injury report, the chances are, at best, probable.

Zion Williamson and his injury-filled hoop dreams

A top Duke prospect, famous for his thunderous dunks, but what got the crowd coming was the young forward did all this with a 6’6, 285-pound frame. It was exactly this that had many NBA teams and executives hesitant in pursuing him like they would other five-star recruits. Add his susceptibility to injuries and very few were willing to gamble. The Pelicans, though, took the risk.

Although he signed with the franchise in July 2019, a meniscus tear prolonged his debut. But when he took the floor, he was every bit as good as they had hoped. In his rookie season, Zion Williamson became the first teenager in league history to score at least 20 points in 10 straight games! He played just 24 games, starting in all of them, as he averaged 22.5 points, 2.1 assists, and 6.3 rebounds.

But that’s not all. He shot a career-best 42.9%  from the three-point line in the 2019-20 season. Move to the next season and he dazzled just as much. When he scored a then-career-high 36 points vs Dallas, Zion became the youngest in the NBA with 30 points on 90% of shooting. It was also the year he got his first All-Star nod. The youngster continued his climb, getting his name among the likes of NBA legends like Chamberlain, Kareem, and O’Neal.

The next season, we all know how a Jones fracture ended his season and nearly crushed his willpower. Williamson had admitted that as much as he wanted to take the floor, he was worried he would be a liability to his team rather than an asset. So, as he was working out to get back his physical strength, Zion also focused on his mental health.

We are getting closer to his current state. The 2022-23 season saw him getting signed to a five-year $193 million rookie extension. The contract was filled with a lot of ifs and buts, but in general, as long as he remained healthy, they were good to go. Unfortunately, a hamstring injury in 2023 sidelined him long enough for the Pelicans to be tossed out of the play-in against none other than OKC.

The current season is one where he’s been the most healthy, appearing in 70 games. But as we saw above, the hamstring injury is once again blocking his way. Hopefully, the Pelicans can hold the fort long enough until Zion Williamson gets back.