Published 12:04 IST, January 7th 2020
Zion Williamson scores scary dunk after being cleared to participate in 5-on-5s
NBA 2019-20: Rookie Zion Williamson might soon make his debut with the New Orleans Pelicans. Williamson suffered from an injury before the season began.
New Orleans Pelicans' Zion Williamson might soon make his debut for the team. The team shared a video on Williamson practising in Twitter and added the word 'soon' as a caption. According to NBA reports, Williamson has been cleared for 5 on 5 practice with the players. Last week, he had been practising 3 on 3 with coaches and even 4 on 4 before the Jazz vs Pelicans game on Monday night (Tuesday morning IST). Williamson underwent arthroscopic knee surgery on October 21, 2019. The estimated recovery period for the player was around 6-8 weeks.
NBA 2019-20: Zion Williamson might 'soon' make New Orleans Pelicans debut
NBA reports also confirmed that Zion Williamson's meniscus injury has healed completely and the Pelicans want him on the court for some time before he finally makes his debut with the team. In December 2019, Zion had been cleared for light shooting. Head coach Alvin Gentry did not specify a fixed return date for Zion Williamson. The Pelicans also want Williamson to practice with the team before his debut, which could be around late January.
After the Pelicans used their top pick to select Zion Williamson, he was probably the most anticipated rookie since LeBron James. Williamson averaged at 22.6 points, 8.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 2.1 steals and 1.8 blocks in 33 games for the Duke in the NCAA. Williamson had dealt with some minor knee problems last year. During summer league, the rookie player only lasted for eight minutes. The team had withdrawn him as a precautionary measure to avoid further harm. After a knee sprain during a game, Zion Williamson also missed time for Duke. The sprain was caused due to his sneaker falling apart.
Updated 12:04 IST, January 7th 2020