How many games has Zion Williamson played? Finding out more
New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson has only been in the NBA for three seasons. Unfortunately, in this span of time, the forward has only played 114 games for the franchise.
Williamson is widely regarded as one of the most gifted young players in the NBA. By virtue of his massive frame and athleticism, Zion has been able to dominate against bigger players. Having made a name for himself as an absolute force of nature, Williamson backs up the hype with some tremendous numbers.
With a career average of 25.8 points and 7.0 rebounds, Zion is obviously a top-tier talent. While additionally also taking note of his ridiculous shooting efficiency, it is safe to say that he is a special talent.
But none of this really matters if he isn't on the floor for his team. Williamson, for all his gifts, hasn't had the best luck with injuries. He has missed a large portion of last season due to a hamstring injury.
In fact, injuries have kept him sidelined for the most part of his short career. He suffered a meniscus tear in his rookie season, followed by a thumb fracture and foot fracture in his sophomore season.
Williamson's injuries also fetched him a lot of criticism regarding his weight. To this extent, the Pelicans even included a caveat within his contract that required him to maintain a certain weight to ensure his health during the season.
However, things haven't exactly panned out in his favor. The young star has been vocal about his feelings about constantly being injured. While speaking to The Athletic's Will Guillory, he said:
"The s**t sucks. I love this game. ... For those people who think I just want to sit on the sideline just to sit over there, I don’t know why people think that. Nah, it sucks. I just want to be playing basketball.”
When is Zion Williamson expected back?
Zion Williamson signed a five-year deal worth roughly $195 million earlier in the 2022 offseason. The supermax extension was a massive gamble on New Orleans' part, considering Williamson's injury situation. However, it certainly did pay off, as the Pelicans were the top seed in the West before he went down.
Williamson missed the team's Play-In game as he continued with rehabilitation. Although he'd started on-court activity, he was far from being game-ready.
This offseason should be a better phase for the superstar to recover. With the Pelicans banking their future on him, they will hope to see him back and healthier come next season.