NBA: Pelicans' Zion Williamson ruled out for return even after All-Star break

New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson, who is out of action since January 2 due to a right hamstring injury, will continue to be off the court even after the All-Star break after he aggravated his injury during rehab. Zion had started 3-on-3 workout in the rehab and flared up the injury. The All-Star break will start on Friday, February 20, and will run through the weekend. The Pelicans forward will be out for multiple weeks after the event as informed by New Orleans executive vice president of basketball operations David Griffin on Sunday. Zion reportedly is not happy with the setback.

"I think we're looking at multiple weeks past the All-Star break that he'll be back," Griffin said. "What that looks like in terms of timeline, I really can't tell you. Much as we have throughout this, we'll continue to image him, and post-All-Star that will happen." Talking about Williamson's reaction to the injury, Griffin said, "it's fair to say not terribly well because he was really diligent in his rehab and in the process," he said. "Unfortunately this is an injury that has a really high incidence of recurrence. It's nothing he did wrong to bring this about. He was very diligent in the process and it just is what it is."

The Pelicans have been miserable ever since Zion was declared unfit to play after the January 2 game against the Philadelphia 76ers. New Orleans has lost 14 out of their 20 games in Zion's absence, including a 10-game losing streak. With Williamson available, Pelicans were sitting pretty with a 23-14 record and a top three seed in the Western Conference. After Williamson's injury, the Pelicans have dropped to the seventh position in the conference with a 29-28 winning record.

Williamson has averaged 26 points per game in the 29 games this season along with 7.0 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game as well. Without the forward, the Pelicans might once again find it difficult to make a push for the playoffs, as was the case in the 2021-22 season which Zion missed entirely due to a right foot injury.

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