Zion Williamson Explains Summer League Absence Following Injury

The Pelicans don't want to risk the health of the first overall pick.

BYAlexander Cole
Link Copied to Clipboard!
2.3K Views
Ethan Miller/Getty Images

Zion Williamson got to make his Summer League debut on Friday night against the New York Knicks. The first overall pick made some impressive dunks, including a steal on Kevin Knox. Despite these great plays, the Pelicans were -15 with Zion on the court and at times, he seemed to struggle on defense. In the second quarter, Zion had a knee on knee collision with a player on the Knicks and ended up sitting out the rest of the game. It was later revealed that he wouldn't be playing any more Summer League games as the team wanted to make sure his health was up to par.

Last night, the Pelicans played the Chicago Bulls and won the game 109-72. Williamson was on the sideline cheering on his team and even got to speak about how he's feeling after the injury.

"It was more precautionary," Williamson told ESPN about his absence. "I'm a competitor. Whenever I can play, I just want to play."

Some people have criticized Williamson for coming into the Summer out of shape as he currently weighs 284 pounds. Zion doesn't want to get too specific on what his goals are but he is in the midst of trying to get back into the proper game shape.

"I'll let the trainers help me with that," he explained.

With Williamson out of Summer League, the next time we will see him on the court is in preseason NBA action.


  • Link Copied to Clipboard!
About The Author
Alexander Cole is the current Managing Editor of HotNewHipHop. He started at HotNewHipHop back in 2018 where he began as a Sports and Sneakers writer. During this time, he has shown an expertise in Air Jordans, Yeezys, and all things that have to do with Nike. His favorite kicks are the Air Jordan 1 High OG, the Air Jordan 4, the Air Jordan 6, and the Adidas Yeezy Boost 350 V2 in the "Beluga 2.0" colorway. Although his collection might not be the biggest, he is always looking to add new styles to it. When it comes to sports, Alex has a particular interest in the NBA and the NFL. His favorite teams are anywhere LeBron goes, and the Kansas City Chiefs. As a Montrealer, the Montreal Canadiens hold a special place in his heart, even if they haven't won the Stanley Cup in his lifetime. Alex also works for the Concordia Stingers, where he provides play-by-play and color commentary for the football, hockey, and basketball teams His favorite hip-hop artists are Kendrick Lamar, Playboi Carti, Travis Scott, and Lil Uzi Vert.