Zion Williamson was perhaps the most hyped rookie to come into the NBA of the entirety of the 2010s. The excitement that his arrival brought to the league rivaled that of what LeBron James brought back in 2003. However, it wasn’t long before fans were stripped of seeing the Duke product at full strength due to a nagging foot injury.
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Over the summer in 2021, Zion underwent a surgery on his right foot to help repair his fifth metatarsal. This a common injury for players in the NBA but it kept Williamson out for longer than most would hope. He missed the entirety of the 2021-22 season due to him rehabbing his fractured right foot.
This was quite the blow to the New Orleans Pelicans who looked primed to take the next step in the Playoff hopes last year. Technically, they did as they made the postseason as an 8th seed and actually took 2 games off the Suns before going home in the first round in 6 games.
Zion Williamson cried to his parents after repeatedly foot injuries
Zion Williamson rehabbed his broken foot for an entire season before finally returning to NBA action at the start of the 2022-23 season. However, in mid-November, during a game against the Houston Rockets, Williamson would suffer yet another right foot injury, this time it being a contusion.
With him receiving the short end of the stick time and time again in the injury department, Zion’s mom, Sharonda, admitted that her son broke down to her and his father, asking them why this kept happening to him.
“People love you when you’re up, but when you’re down they wanna stomp on you. Its just part of this world… He just broke down crying ‘Why does this keep happening to me?’ Mom and Dad, we shielded you but have to let you see this is life.”
– Zion’s Mom Sharonda on his recovery pic.twitter.com/jLKUNW8YM4
— Pelicans Film Room (@PelsFilmRoom) December 15, 2022
With all the negativity surrounding his viability in the NBA at his weight, it was easy for him to feel like the entire world was against him. However, as the 2023 season has progressed, Zion has proven himself to be worthy of the first overall pick on a multitude of occasions.
Zion Williamson is leading the Pelicans to the top of the Western Conference
For close to two weeks, the New Orleans Pelicans had been the number one seed in the Western Conference. Their recent loss to the Utah Jazz yet again has pushed them down to the number 2 seed behind the Memphis Grizzlies.
Them having a top 4 seed out West is all thanks to Zion Williamson, who has been on fire for the past 10 games, averaging 28.6 points and 8.5 rebounds on 62% shooting from the field.
While his defense still needs a lot of work, both ‘point of attack’ and help D, he’s proving to the Pels that giving him a potential $231 million over the next 5 years was perhaps a great idea.
