2 min read • February 19, 2022
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Led Zeppelin, Frank Zappa, ZZ-Top, and Jay-Z are all enshrined in Cleveland’s Rock-and-Roll Hall-of-Fame, a short distance from where the NBA All-Star festivities are being held this weekend.
But one hulking figure with an eye a future Hall-of-Fame enshrinement of his own will be missing from the action.
Pelicans’ star Zion Williamson has not played since suffering a Jones fracture in his right foot last August and is not expected to return to the court anytime soon.
After he reportedly experienced soreness in his foot during his ramp up in conditioning last December, the ProBasketballDocs indicated that a second surgery was on the horizon and Williamson would not return this season.
On Wednesday, Nola.com’s Christian Clark reported – and ESPN’s Andrew Lopez later corroborated – that a second surgery on his ailing right foot was being considered for Williamson.
None of the news that has come out after his initial surgery last summer has been promising, although the Pelicans have been steadfastly optimistic for his return this season. Regardless of their internal understanding of Williamson’s health, the team has held a united front in public, starting on Sept. 27, when Williamson and David Griffin both said they expected the former No. 1 overall pick to be ready to take the floor on opening night.
He reportedly received an injection in his right foot in December to “promote healing” and was set to be re-evaluated in 4-6 weeks.
The injection was likely a platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection or a bone graft material. Either way, the best-case scenario at the time would have been good progress shown after the injection and a return-to-play timeline of roughly 6 weeks.
That would have put the former No. 1 pick’s season debut sometime around March, with roughly 20 games left.
The second surgery rumors likely mean there wasn’t good progress shown upon re-evaluation.
The ProBasketballDocs project the Pelicans and Williamson will opt for the second surgery and focus on finding a manageable weight for the 22-year-old to play at without risking further damage to his lower body.
His unique blend of power and athleticism also put a unique strain on the framework involved. The key is to find the optimal playing weight and find a condensed playing style to limit that strain and prevent further long-term injuries.
While the current prognosis doesn’t look promising for the all-world talent, the future does not have to be bleak. Williamson can look to current MVP favorite Joel Embiid for a path forward: Embiid played only 31 games in his first 3 seasons after being drafted with the No. 3 overall pick. He missed the first 2 seasons after breaking the navicular bone in his right foot twice from 2014 to 2015.
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