Pelicans say Williamson out 4-6 more weeks

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. Christian Petersen/Getty Images/AFP

Zion Williamson’s NBA season debut won’t come for at least a month, the New Orleans Pelicans said Thursday, announcing the young star had received an injection to stimulate bone healing in his injured right foot.

The 21-year-old had surgery in July on his broken foot and had been aiming for a return to the court in December.

But soreness in the foot as he increased his training load forced the Pelicans to dial back his activities.

“Following a consultation and further evaluation with Dr. Richard Ferkel of the Southern California Orthopedic Institute (Wednesday), Zion Williamson received a biologic injection into the fracture site to stimulate bone healing in his right foot,” the team said in a statement.

“Williamson will be limited to low impact, partial weight-bearing activities for an extended period. Further updates will be given following further imaging which is anticipated to occur in 4-6 weeks.”

Williamson, the number one overall selection in the 2019 NBA draft, missed almost half of his rookie season with a knee injury.

But he rose steadily in his second campaign, finishing eighth in the NBA in scoring and field goal percentage and earning his first All-Star nod.

Hopes that his continued rise would help New Orleans shake off a disappointing 31-41 campaign were dimmed, however, when Williamson broke his foot in the offseason, attributing the injury to “overdoing it” with his training.

Without him, the Pelicans are 9-21 and second-from-bottom in the Western Conference. However, coach Willie Green said earlier this month the team wouldn’t rush the young player back into action.

“We’re talking about somebody’s career,” Green said.