Williamson ruled out 6-8 weeks
Knee injury means Pelicans rookie won’t play for a while
The NBA’s plan to roll out the red carpet for Zion Williamson must wait until at least December.
The Pelicans announced Monday that Williamson, the top pick in the 2019 NBA draft, will be sidelined for six to eight weeks after undergoing surgery to address a torn lateral meniscus in his right knee. The19-year-old forward is believed to have suffered the injury during a preseason win over the Spurs on Oct. 13.
Williamson’s setback is a tough blow for the Pelicans and the league as a whole.
Not since LeBron James has the NBA seen a rookie with Williamson’s mix of athleticism, charisma and hype, and the NBA took every possible measure to capitalize on the excitement.
The small-market Pelicans were slated to appear on national television for five of their first seven games, including a pair of high-profile opening week showcases: a Tuesday visit to the Raptors for ring night on TNT before a Friday showdown with Luka Doncic and the Mavericks on ESPN.
Given the estimated timetable for his return, Williamson is projected to miss at least the first 20 games of the regular season and return sometime in early-tomid-December.
All told, 11 of the Pelicans’ first 20 games were scheduled to be aired nationally by TNT, ESPN or NBATV, including Anthony Davis’ first return trip to New Orleans with the Lakers on Nov. 27. Under Williamson’s current timetable, he is expected to be available when the Pelicans visit the Nuggets as part of the NBA’s annual Christmas Day quintuple-header.
Williamson dazzled in the first four games of the Pelicans’ 5-0 run through its preseason schedule, averaging 23.3 points and 6.5 rebounds per game while turning in standout offensive showings against the Bulls and Jazz. The Pelicans elected to sit him for Friday’s win over the Knicks after initial testing revealed the knee injury.
“He’s a smart enough player that whenever he comes back he’s going to be fine,” Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry said of Williamson on Friday, before the full extent of his injury was public. “I don’t see him falling behind. He’s very mature for a 19-year-old. He’s a great team guy. . . . He’s fine [mentally]. He’s not dead, guys. He’s upbeat. He has fun. He’s living his dream.”
After a one-and-done year at Duke, Williamson was widely regarded as the favorite to win 2020 rookie of the year honors despite multiple injury concerns.
Back in February, he sprained his right knee while blowing out his Nike sneaker during a home loss to North Carolina. In July, he suffered a minor injury to his left knee while making his Las Vegas Summer League debut for the Pelicans. Williamson should still be considered a strong rookie of the year contender, although a loftier goal such as an all-star appearance might now be out of reach.
Williamson is not the first recent top overall pick to suffer a significant injury before making his NBA debut.
Greg Oden, the 2007 No. 1 pick, missed his entire rookie season with a right knee injury. Blake Griffin, the top selection in 2009, missed his entire rookie season with a left knee injury. Ben Simmons, the 2016 No. 1 pick, sat out his first season with a right foot injury.
Williamson turned pro after one season at Duke, during which he averaged 22.6 points and was voted to the ACC’s All-Defensive Team. He also averaged 8.9 rebounds, 2.1 steals and 1.8 blocked shots.
He was projected to start immediately at forward for the Pelicans, alongside guards Lonzo Ball and Jrue Holiday, forward Brandon Ingram and center Derrick Favors.
While it remains to be seen how Gentry will change his rotation in Williamson’s absence, it appears 6-foot-9, 235-pound forward Nicolo Melli of Italy could be in line for more playing time.
Melli, who was acquired in the offseason, averaged 8.4 points and 5.4 rebounds this season.