New Orleans Pelicans' superstar Zion Williamson will miss at least three weeks after sustaining a right hamstring strain during their game against the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday, the team said Tuesday.
The team stated that the forward will be re-evaluated in three weeks after undergoing an MRI earlier on Tuesday.
That puts him on pace to miss 10 games and potentially return for a key matchup against the Denver Nuggets on Jan. 24. During that stretch, the Pelicans have six games against teams with an above .500 record.
Williamson sustained the injury in the third quarter of the game against the 76ers in what would eventually be a 120-11 loss for the Pelicans. He was playing well up to that point with 26 points on 10-for-12 shooting with six assists and seven rebounds.
Williamson is in the midst of another all-star calibre season when healthy. Despite missing eight games so far this year, he has averaged 26.0 points on 61 per cent shooting with 7.0 rebounds and 4.6 assists for a reinvigorated Pelicans squad. He also leads the team in scoring.
The superstar forward missed the entirety of the 2021-2022 season with a foot issue and has had a long list of injuries since being drafted first overall in 2019. He only played 24 games in his rookie season after missing the start of it with a torn meniscus.
Though the 22-year-old has spent time on the injury report with a multitude of different ailments throughout his career, he hasn't had prior concerns with his hamstring.
The Pelicans (23-14) are getting off to their best start in an NBA season since the 2007-2008 season and are currently a game behind the first-place Nuggets in the Western Conference. They're 6-2 in games without Williamson.
He missed two games in October because of a contusion around his right hip and lower back; three games in November with a right foot contusion; and three games in December while in the NBA’s health and safety protocols.
New Orleans is also dealing with an injury to their other star forward Brandon Ingram (toe) who hasn't played since Nov. 25 against the Memphis Grizzlies. Forward Larry Nance Jr. (shoulder) has also missed six of their last eight games.
Written with files from the Associated Press
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