Zion Williamson #1 of the New Orleans Pelicans looks on from the bench as the New Orleans Pelicans take on the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center on November 08, 2021 in Dallas, Texas. Tom Pennington/Getty Images/AFP
Pelicans star Zion Williamson is returning to New Orleans after being “cleared to progress in basketball activities,” The Athletic reported Saturday.
The 21-year-old forward has missed the team’s first 63 games this season with an injured right foot. He had been rehabbing the injury in Portland.
There is still no timetable for his return. The Pelicans (27-36) have won four straight games to move into the final play-in spot in the Western Conference playoff picture.
The No. 1 pick of the 2019 NBA Draft, Williamson has played just 85 games for the Pelicans. He missed the first three months of the 2019-20 season due to a knee injury, and a fractured fifth metatarsal in his right foot has kept him sidelined this entire season.
Williamson was an All-Star in 2020-21 when he averaged 27.0 points and 7.2 rebounds per game.
For his career, he has averages of 25.7 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.2 assists over 31.7 minutes per game.