A video of Zion Williamson warming up before Wednesday night’s play-in game between the New Orleans Pelicans and Oklahoma City Thunder might be something Pelicans fans should try to avoid.
Williamson did not play in the game despite being cleared for basketball activities. He had been out for over three months due to a hamstring strain.
Williamson said prior to the game that he can pretty much do everything on the court, but he just felt mentally unready to play.
The 2019 No. 1 overall pick was seen warming up before the game and looked good:
Here’s 2 minutes of Zion Williamson warming up tonight before the #Pelicans vs. Thunder Play-In game. 🎥 ft. windmill dunk pic.twitter.com/grEvgZa27k
— Jack Culotta, Jr. (@TalkCulotta) April 13, 2023
You see someone playing like that and wonder why he couldn’t play for a few minutes to try giving his team a boost. The Pelicans lost 123-118, and perhaps Williamson could have made the difference.
Zion only played in 29 games this season, which came after he missed the entire previous season due to a fracture in his foot. He averaged 26.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game when he played. The Pelicans were among the top teams in the West before he got hurt. They ended up fading in the standings and finishing ninth in the regular season.
