Zion Williamson was touted to be the next big thing in the NBA when the New Orleans Pelicans picked him using the first overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft. Zion is certainly blessed with superhuman abilities on the court.
Williamson’s biggest strength is his explosive athleticism and sheer physicality on the court. However, the biggest flaw in Williamson’s game is his inability to stay fit. Zach Harper of ‘The Athletic’ recently shared his thoughts on Williamson averaging just 28.5 games per season since his debut.
“Williamson is incredible, one of the most impressive weapons in basketball,” Harper wrote. “He’s averaging 25.8 points per game for his career, but only 28.5 games per season. The Pelicans can’t count on him at all.”
Harper didn’t hold back when considering the possibility of Zion Williamson legitimately missing the rest of the 2022-23 NBA season.
“The hamstring injury is one of the toughest to come back from,” He added. “You can’t rush it. Zion’s had multiple setbacks from his initial return timeline and is historically not someone who is easy to keep in good shape. There are four and a half weeks left in this regular season. Are we going to see Zion play again this season? I’m beginning to think we won’t, because a hamstring makes it so hard for most players to keep their conditioning up.”
A recent injury report revealed that Williamson is all set to miss at least two weeks of action due to the hamstring injury.
Considering the Pelicans currently have a 32-34 record and are in the 10th spot in the Western Conference, the hopes for the Pelicans to advance for the postseason are becoming slimmer with each passing game.
How Many Games Has Zion Williamson Played In Each Season Of His NBA Career?
When Zion is on the court, he has a certain swagger around himself and attracts all eyes around the world to see him play the game of basketball. But as mentioned earlier, Williamson cannot stay healthy consistently. With that being said, let’s take a look at Zion’s number of games played each season and his averages in the same.
2019-20 NBA Season: 24 Games
Averages: 22.5 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 2.1 APG, 0.7 SPG, 0.4 BPG, 58.3 FG%
2020-21 NBA Season: 61 Games
Averages: 27.0 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 3.7 APG, 0.9 SPG, 0.6 BPG, 61.1 FG%
2021-22 NBA Season: 0 Games (Foot Injury)
2022-23 NBA Season: 29 Games
Averages: 26.0 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 4.6 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.6 BPG, 60.9 FG%
After looking at Zion’s stats with the Pelicans, one thing is certain: Zion is a special player. He has and can dominate the league with his ability.
But the highest number of games that Williamson has played in his career is 61, in his sophomore season. With Williamson’s huge $193 million contract set to kick in next season, the Pelicans will certainly expect the 22-year-old to take better care of his fitness.
If Williamson cannot do that, he may end up becoming one of the biggest busts in the history of the NBA only because of his inability to stay healthy and play consistently.
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