New Orleans Pelicans vice president David Griffin anticipates his rookie star Zion Williamson will make his NBA debut at home on Jan. 22 against the San Antonio Spurs, according to William Guillory of The Athletic.
The 6-foot-6 forward has been out since the start of the season, nursing a torn meniscus injury that left him out indefinitely. His return has been rumored since mid-December, inching closer as he finished more basketball activities.
Griffin said Williamson will not be on a minutes restriction once he returns, but his playing time will be determined by how he looks once he's on the court. The VP mentioned he never considered shutting him down for the entire 2019-20 season but noted the No. 1 overall pick is a radically-better version of himself.
Zion led the Pelicans to a 5-0 record in the preseason, at which point he was evaluated by the training and medical staff, who found a tear on his meniscus. New Orleans has been very careful in his recovery process, while also providing him with a dietary regimen to keep his weight in check during that process.
The Duke product was measured at 6-foot-7 and 285 pounds during his lone year in college, something that caused plenty of skepticism for those who wondered if he would survive a grueling 82-game season.
The Pelicans are 15-26 on the season but have won eight of their last 11 games. New Orleans isn't hoping to get Williamson back for a playoff push, but rather to let their No. 1 selection mesh with his team and get a feel for NBA action after he returns past the halfway mark of the campaign.
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