Zion Williamson Returns to Pelicans Lineup After Hamstring Injury

NEW ORLEANS, La. — Pelicans star Zion Williamson has been officially declared available for Tuesday night’s game against the Minnesota Timberwolves after missing two months with a left hamstring strain. Williamson, who returned to practice last week, had been listed as questionable Monday before being upgraded Tuesday afternoon.

Williamson has not played since a November 6 loss to the Dallas Mavericks, missing the past 27 games for the 7-29 Pelicans. Injuries have plagued Williamson’s career, limiting the 2019 No. 1 overall pick to 190 games over 5½ seasons. He has career averages of 24.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 4.2 assists.

Persistent hamstring issues have been a recurring problem for Williamson. A hamstring strain sidelined him for the final 45 games of the 2022-23 season, during which he was selected as an All-Star for the second time. Last season, Williamson played a career-high 70 games but exited a play-in game due to a hamstring strain, which also kept him out of the Pelicans’ first-round playoff loss.

New Orleans struggled during Williamson’s absence, losing 23 of their first 25 games without him. However, the team recently secured back-to-back wins against the Washington Wizards, marking their first two-game winning streak since the start of the regular season. Despite the recent success, the Pelicans are 11 games behind the 10th-seeded San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference standings, effectively ending their playoff hopes.

The Pelicans are nearing full strength, with only Brandon Ingram (ankle) still sidelined by a longer-term injury. Ingram is expected to be reevaluated soon. Williamson, who has appeared in just six games this season, averaged 22.7 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 5.3 assists in those outings. He is expected to be on a minutes restriction Tuesday and may not play in Wednesday’s back-to-back game against the Portland Trail Blazers.