Published 16:07 IST, January 10th 2020
Zion Williamson reveals about nearly missing out on being part of the Pelicans in 2019
Zion Williamson was the No. 1 pick in the 2019 NBA Draft. During an appearance on teammate JJ Redick's podcast, he revealed that he almost missed the draft.
New Orleans Pelicans rookie and 2019 NBA Draft No.1 pick Zion Williamson has not taken the court this season, owing to a pre-season knee injury. While there has been no official news about his scheduled return to the court, Williamson revealed a startling truth earlier this week. The No. 1 pick in the 2019 NBA Draft said that he wanted to return to Duke for his sophomore season but ultimately ended up declaring for the draft later on.
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Zion Williamson reveals he almost didn't make the 2019 NBA Draft
Zion Williamson made an appearance on The JJ Redick Podcast with his Pelicans teammate earlier this week. Speaking to the Pelicans shooting guard, Williamson revealed that he considered a return to Duke, since he thoroughly enjoyed his experience with the Blue Devils. Speaking on the podcast, the Pelicans rookie also said that he thought “the NBA wasn’t going anywhere.”
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While Pelicans fans may not have seen the No. 1 2019 NBA Draft pick in action just yet, Zion Williamson came to New Orleans with quite a reputation. At the collegiate level, Williamson averaged 22.6 points, 8.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 2.1 steals and 1.8 blocks. However, he then suffered a serious knee injury in a rivalry game against the University of North Carolina (UNC).
Zion Williamson and his injury which have denied him Pelicans appearances
The Pelicans rookie suffered a minor knee injury in his Summer League debut. He then had to undergo surgery in October last year after appearing in four pre-season games. However, New Orleans Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry said that despite Zion Williamson returning to training, the Pelicans will be "overly cautious" when it comes to handling the rookie's return to the court.
(Image Credit: Zion Williamson Twitter handle)
Updated 16:07 IST, January 10th 2020