Zion Williamson to finally make his long-awaited NBA debut with Pelicans, date confirmed

NBA fans will soon be able to see New Orleans Pelicans rookie and No.1 overall pick play on the court. According to NBA reports, Zion Williamson is going to make his NBA debut against Utah Jazz on Thursday night (Friday morning IST). Williamson has missed 40 games of his rookie NBA contest after suffering from a knee injury. In a recent interview, Pelicans head coach Alvin Gentry stated that when Zion Williamson makes his debut, he will play for limited minutes, at least initially. 

Also read | Zion Williamson reveals about nearly missing out on being part of the Pelicans in 2019

NBA 2019-20: No.1 overall pick Zion Williamson to finally make his NBA debut for the New Orleans Pelicans

NBA 2019-20: Zion Williamson injury, recovery and practice with the Pelicans

The Pelicans had recently 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. He was also seen practising 3 on 3 with coaches and even 4 on 4 before. Williamson underwent arthroscopic knee surgery on October 21, 2019. The estimated recovery period for the player was around 6-8 weeks.

Also read | Zion Williamson injury steps up recovery, watch the Pelicans No. 1 draft pick shoot hoops

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 made his debut with the team. In December 2019, Zion had been cleared for light shooting. Alvin Gentry did not specify a fixed return date for Zion Williamson. 

Also read | Zion Williamson injury (knee) update and possible return for Pelicans in NBA

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 University 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 The team had withdrawn him as a precautionary measure to avoid further harm.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.

Also read | Zion Williamson injury update, reported comeback to NBA 2019-20 season and rehab

(Image courtesy: Pelicans NBA Instagram)