Zion Williamson of the New Orleans Pelicans is expected to be sidelined for a prolonged period after sustaining a right adductor injury. ESPN’s Shams Charania reported on Tuesday that Williamson will undergo a three-week re-evaluation, though the timing of the injury remains undisclosed.
The Duke product, in his sixth season with New Orleans, sat out Sunday’s defeat to the Los Angeles Lakers and was initially questionable for Tuesday’s home matchup with the Minnesota Timberwolves. It’s now clear he will miss a substantial stretch, a tough development for a Pelicans team that recently parted ways with head coach Willie Green on November 15 following a 2-10 start. Under interim coach James Borrego, the club owns a 1-9 record since the coaching change and stands at 3-18 overall.
Williamson previously missed eight games due to a strained left hamstring earlier this season, returning on November 19 in a 125-118 loss to the Denver Nuggets. In the five games he has played since returning, he showed notable production, including 25 points and seven rebounds in the 104-96 loss to the Golden State Warriors on Saturday.
This season marks a slower return pace for Williamson, who played only 30 games amid injury trouble a year ago. So far in 2024-25, he has appeared in 10 of the Pelicans’ 21 games, averaging 22.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game.
Anatomically, the adductor muscle group sits at the inner thigh and includes three muscles that help stabilize the pelvis during running, jumping, and other dynamic movements, a reminder of how quickly such injuries can impact an athlete’s on-court availability.
