New Orleans Pelicans star rookie Zion Williamson is back in the “bubble.”
The first-year big man out of Duke — who is the first overall selection in the 2019 NBA Draft by New Orleans — had to skedaddle roughly a week ago due to a family emergency. Unfortunately, it coincided with the team and the league gearing up for the 2019-20 season resumption in Orlando, Florida.
According to the Pelicans, the 20-year-old Williamson has returned to Orlando and has tested negative for COVID-19 while away from the team. he is now set to quarantine in order to rejoin the squad.
Zion Williamson returned to the NBA campus in Orlando this evening, the team announced.
He was tested daily for COVID-19 while away from the team and produced negative results for all of them. Williamson is required to quarantine immediately, per NBA protocol. pic.twitter.com/5Olbwo1YvV
— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) July 24, 2020
Meanwhile, Zion Williamson elaborated on his return to Orlando to reconvene with his teammates after seeing his family, via Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports.
Zion Williamson upon returning to bubble: “My family and I appreciate the love, respect that everyone showed us while we dealt with a private family matter. I‘m excited to rejoin my team in Orlando and look forward to getting back on the court with my teammates after quarantine.”
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) July 24, 2020
The Pelicans are attempting to make a last-ditch effort to reach the 2020 NBA playoffs. They sit 3.5 games behind the Western Conference's eighth seed, the Memphis Grizzlies.
New Orleans will have a spat of games remaining on their “regular season” calendar, and should they end up clinching a postseason berth, they would continue competing in Orlando at Walt Disney World in the closed campus environment.
Williamson is key to the Pelicans' success. Despite missing a large chunk of the season due to knee surgery, the No. 1 pick has led the Southwest Division club to a 10-9 record in the 19 appearances he has made in 2019-20.
Before he was reported leaving the bubble last week, Zion reportedly suffered from leg cramps — another concern for the power forward besides exiting and re-entering in Orlando.
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