Pelicans Scoop

4x NBA All-Star Proposes Harsh Rule Against Zion Williamson

New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson has played just six games this NBA season.

Joey Linn

New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) looks on from the bench against the Orlando Magic in the third quarter at Kia Center.
New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) looks on from the bench against the Orlando Magic in the third quarter at Kia Center. / Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
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New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson has struggled with injuries almost his entire NBA career. Selected first overall by New Orleans in the 2019 NBA draft, Williamson played just 24 games his rookie season. Taking a step forward the next year, Williamson appeared in 61 games and made the All-Star team in 2021, but then missed the entire next season due to injury.

Williamson was an All-Star again in 2023, but played just 29 games total that season. Appearing in a career-high 70 games last season, Williamson looked to be taking a real step forward as it pertained to his availability, but that unfortunately has not lasted this season.

Playing just six games so far, Williamson is currently sidelined with a hamstring injury that looks to have no return date in the near future.

Zion Williamson
New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson watches during a timeout against the Denver Nuggets at Smoothie King Center. / Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

During a recent appearance on FanDuel’s Run It Back show, former Pelicans star DeMarcus Cousins said the team needs to start fining Williamson if he is not in proper shape.

“If you come in at a certain weight or body fat that isn’t acceptable for the team, and puts you in a place to flourish and be healthy, we start fining you,” Cousins said. “Because this is an issue they’re dealing with every single year. And obviously this is something he can’t handle on his own, and professionally he’s struggling with it. So it’s time to start adding a little more pressure to it.”

Cousins said this is something that should have happened years ago, but is definitely something he believes should take place now. Williamson is not the only Pelicans star who has missed time this season, as several other key players in New Orleans have been out due to injuries. 

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Joey Linn
JOEY LINN

Joey Linn is a credentialed writer covering the NBA for Sports Illustrated's FanNation. Covering the LA Clippers independently in 2018, then for Fansided and 213Hoops from 2019-2021, Joey joined Sports Illustrated's FanNation to cover the Clippers after the 2020-21 season. Graduating from Biola University in 2022 with a Communication Studies degree, Joey served as Biola's play-by-play announcer for their basketball, baseball, softball, and soccer teams during his time in school. Joey's work on Biola's broadcasts, combined with his excellence in the classroom, earned him the Outstanding Communication Studies Student of the year award in 2022. Joey covers the NBA full-time across multiple platforms, primarily serving as a credentialed Clippers beat writer.

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