Pelicans’ Zion Williamson cleared for full basketball activities
Zion Williamson #1 of the New Orleans Pelicans reacts during a timeout from the second half of the NBA game against the Phoenix Suns at Footprint Center on November 02, 2021 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Suns defeated the Pelicans 112-100. Christian Petersen/Getty Images/AFP
New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson was medically cleared to return to full participation in basketball activities, the team announced Friday.
Williamson is recovering from an offseason surgery on his right foot and has yet to play in the 2021-22 season.
“Williamson played four-on-four full court today and will continue his progression towards returning to play,” the Pelicans said in a press release. “An estimated date to return to game action has not been determined.”
Williamson, 21, played only played in 85 games (all starts) in the first two seasons of his NBA career after one attention-grabbing college season at Duke. The 2019 first overall draft pick has averaged 25.7 points and 7.0 rebounds per game in the NBA.
He only played 24 games as a rookie after tearing a meniscus during the preseason.
New Orleans has struggled without Williamson. Entering Friday, the Pelicans owned the second-worst record in the league at 4-16.
