New Orleans Pelicans rookie forward sensation Zion Williamson will be sidelined up to two months after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his right knee on Monday just as a new NBA season is about to begin.<\/p>\n
The Pelicans play in the league’s opening game at defending champion Toronto on Tuesday, when Williamson’s debut was expected to be the main attraction.<\/p>\n
Instead, it’s being put on hold after a smashing pre-season run in which Williamson averaged 23.3 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists a game in four appearances for New Orleans.<\/p>\n
The Pelicans said Williamson, the top pick in the 2019 entry draft, was diagnosed with a torn meniscus and is not expected to return for six to eight weeks.<\/p>\n
Williamson, 19, had been on fire in the NBA preseason but underwent tests on the right knee on Friday when soreness persisted and doctors recommended surgery to fix the problem.<\/p>\n
It’s the same knee that Williamson — who has excited NBA fans like no rookie since LeBron James — famously sprained in college when his Nike shoe exploded during a game.<\/p>\n
“We have a deep team,” guard JJ Redick said. “We’ll hold it down as best as we can without him. Obviously we need him back. Hopefully he takes his time and recovers fully.”<\/p>\n
Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry told reporters Friday that Williamson is “not dead, guys,” and rather is in good spirits after apparently suffering the injury against San Antonio last Sunday.<\/p>\n
In the Vegas Summer League, Williamson played only nine minutes before he banged left knees in a collision and was benched for the remainder of the summer league NBA games.<\/p>\n
Zion Williamson #1 of the New Orleans Pelicans in action during a game against the Utah Jazz at the Smoothie King Center on October 11, 2019 in New Orleans, Louisiana. [Cover Image: Jonathan Bachman\/Getty Images via VCG]<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" New Orleans Pelicans rookie forward sensation Zion Williamson will be sidelined up to two months after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his right knee on Monday just as a new NBA…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-26658","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sports"],"yoast_head":"\n