I recall the hoopla of Zion Williamson as the No. 1 pick in the 2019 NBA draft. I don't recall reading much about him since, however.
This morning, I found out why. It has taken four NBA seasons for Williamson to reach 100 games played, a milestone he reached yesterday in a home game against Oklahoma City.
To begin with, he suffered a torn lateral meniscus in his right knee just before the start of his rookie season. And that season and the next were shortened due to Covid-19.
What would have been his third year in the league, he missed altogether with a fractured right foot. He was supposed to be back in December but the injury was slow to heal.
New Orleans made the playoffs last year, eliminated in the first round by Phoenix. It is fun to speculate how far they would have gone with a healthy Zion Williamson.
But here is what Pelicans fans should be most concerned about — on top of all that time off,
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... he’s missed five of the Pelicans’ first 19 games with minor hip and right foot soreness ... In addition to all the injuries, Williamson’s first few seasons have been defined by challenges with maintaining his conditioning and staying in peak physical shape. Fans and media alike were astonished by Williamson’s struggles to keep weight off while going through the rehab process for his injuries.
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Still, he's only 22 and won't turn 23 until next July. There is still much potential and it is said that he recognizes the weight problem and how it may be affecting his health and his play. Particularly after he caught "Shaq & Chuck Roasting Zion Williamson."
"Looks like me and Shaq had a baby."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__JF...seofHighlights