National Basketball Association

Pelicans' Zion Williamson says his health is at about '93% right now'

Published Feb. 15, 2024 4:13 p.m. ET

Zion Williamson has been leading the charge for the New Orleans Pelicans this season — and the best is yet to come.

"The real Zion? I know we good to go when I'm like, not 100 [percent], but 110, 115," Williamson expressed to the New Orleans press about his health after the team's Wednesday night victory over the Washington Wizards. "When I'm doing things that aren't normal, constantly, that's when I know I'm back to where I need to be. So I'd say I'm about like 93 [percent] right now."

Williamson finished the game with 36 points, tied for his season high.

The 2019 No. 1 overall draft pick hasn't played in 11 games this season, appearing in 44 of a possible 55 games. Across said action, Williamson is averaging 22.4 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game while shooting 58.5/36.4/68.4. The Pelicans are 33-22, good for the sixth seed in the Western Conference.

Injuries have held back Williamson's NBA career. Last season, he helped the Pelicans peak as high as the No. 1 seed in the West pre-All-Star break, but his season ended after 29 games due to a hamstring injury.

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New Orleans collapsed thereafter, finishing ninth in the conference and being eliminated by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round of the NBA Play-In Tournament. Williamson previously missed the entire 2021-22 NBA season due to a foot injury and didn't appear in a game in his rookie season until Jan. 22.

Over his five seasons under contract for the Pelicans, Williamson has appeared in just 158 of a possible 371 games (regular season plus postseason). Williamson, a two-time All-Star, is in the first season of a five-year, $197.2 million deal.

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