Zion Williamson has been out of action with a hamstring injury since hurting it on Jan. 2.
Now, with his New Orleans Pelicans fighting for a slot in the first round of the NBA playoffs, it seems unlikely that he will be able to return in time to help them.
Not because of the injury itself, but because of his poor conditioning at the moment.
This week, NBA insider Shams Charania appeared on Pat McAfee’s show and revealed that Williamson has a tough road back ahead of him.
“The Hamstring might be close to healed, but from a conditioning perspective he has not been able to bridge that gap between his conditioning, his basketball shape. His conditioning is just not there, and from what I am told he is not even close.”
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— Boot Krewe Media (@BootKreweMedia) April 10, 2023
“The hamstring might be close to healed or feeling good, but from a conditioning perspective, he has not been able to bridge that gap between his conditioning, his basketball shape, everything that goes into being Zion Williamson,” Charania said.
“His conditioning is just not there, and from what I am told he is not even close to getting back on the floor.”
Williamson has played in a mere 114 games since the Pelicans drafted him with the first overall pick in 2019. That’s less than two full seasons of play.
It’s hard not to wonder if he will ever be able to get right.
Williamson is an immensely talented player, but between his nonstop issues and weird controversies, it just feels like the headache surrounding him is no longer justified by his promise.
Now that’s how you celebrate Easter. https://t.co/xr2pbNwthe
— Game 7 (@game7__) April 10, 2023
It doesn’t matter how good someone is if they can’t actually stay on the court.
Will Williamson be able to get it together next season and finally string together a healthy campaign for the Pelicans? Time will tell.
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Jennifer Withers Hoey is a former Business Development Manager who transitioned to writing about sports. With valuable connections all over the West Coast, she has used those contacts to break some of the most interesting stories pertaining to the Portland Trail Blazers, Oregon Ducks, LA Lakers, LA Clippers, Seattle Supersonics (RIP), and more.
