Zion Williamson left the New Orleans Pelicans' 122-121 overtime loss to the Utah Jazz on Sunday with a posterior hip contusion after a nasty fall and did not return in an injury worry.

The 2019 NBA Draft top overall pick fell hard on the court after Jordan Clarkson blocked his transition dunk attempt with 8:06 remaining in the fourth quarter.

Williamson writhed on the ground in pain after the heavy fall, checking out shortly after the incident and not re-entering the game.

The 22-year-old power forward did not seek medical treatment on the bench but was not used during overtime.

The Pelicans confirmed after the game that Williamson had "sustained a posterior hip contusion" but head coach Willie Green had no further update on the severity.

"I don’t know as of right now," Green told reporters. "We finished the game, I went right in the locker room and spoke to the team.

"I haven’t spoken to our medical staff yet. We'll get an update soon and talk to you guys from there."

When pressed on whether there was a discussion after Williamson re-entering, Green added: "The word that I got [was] that he wasn’t going back in."

Williamson missed all of last season due to a broken foot, having emerged in 2020-21 with an All-Star year averaging 27.0 points, 7.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game.

The Pelicans also lost Brandon Ingram to a head injury, with the small forward evaluated for concussion-like symptoms after a collision with teammate Naji Marshall in the first quarter.

The Jazz won the game in overtime with Kelly Olynyk scooping in a go-ahead shot with three seconds to go.

New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson was giddy at his postgame press conference after securing a dominant 130-108 road win against the Brooklyn Nets in his first competitive outing since May 2021.

Williamson missed all of this past season with recurring foot injuries, but used the offseason to get into the best shape of his professional career, and he picked up right where he left off.

Before his injury, Williamson averaged 27 points per game at 61 per cent shooting in his second season after being drafted first overall back in 2019, and he showed no signs of rust, dropping 25 points on 11-of-22 shooting with nine rebounds, four steals and three assists.

Speaking to the media immediately after the win, Williamson could not keep the smile off his face when talking about how excited he is to be back on the court with this Pelicans group.

"The Nets are a great team, a great organisation, but today we just wanted to show how special this group is," he said during his on-court interview.

"We got the win, most importantly that's what we want to do, but if you see the bonds we have on the court, and on the bench, we really have a special group and I'm excited to show the world what we can do."

Later in his sit-down press conference, he reflected on his feelings about returning after such a long layoff, and what it is like to play with this group, since he has not played since the Pelicans' acquisition of C.J. McCollum.

"Simply playing the game I love, which I didn't get to play for a long time, was a breath of fresh air," he said.

"There were times where there was a loose ball, and it ended up in C.J. or [Brandon Ingram's] hands, and I didn't even crash [for rebounds], I'm like 'oh that's good'. Man, it's special. If you know basketball, to get a chance to play with two players like that, it's special.

"All three of us are unselfish, we all have the same goal, and that's to win. When you want to win, you put aside the personal goals and everything else. Whatever I've got to do, whatever they've got to do to win, that's what we're all going to do.

"It's one thing when you're excited for yourself, but when you see people you work hard with, and go to battle with, and they're genuinely excited for you and wishing you the best – you can't ask for much more than that."

Despite top-scoring in the game with 28 points (10-of-17 shooting), Ingram made it clear who sits atop the Pelicans' pecking order, calling Williamson "one of the best players in the league".

Pelicans head coach Willie Green also enjoyed the show, saying: "It's like he didn't miss a beat – you just throw the ball to him and watch what he does. He's fun to watch."

The New Orleans Pelicans sent a statement to the rest of the league with a 130-108 pounding of the Brooklyn Nets in their opening game of the season on Wednesday night.

Playing away from home, the Pelicans enjoyed a red-hot start, with eight points in the first quarter from Zion Williamson helping to build a 32-14 lead at the first break.

The Nets showed some fight in the second quarter, putting up 36 points in the frame to trim the margin to 58-50 as Kevin Durant had 21 in the first half, but the Pelicans came out of halftime and dropped 40 points in the third period to put the game to bed.

In his first game since May 2021, Williamson looked in tremendous shape, scoring 25 points on 11-of-22 shooting while adding nine rebounds, three assists and four steals. 

He was supported in fine fashion by Brandon Ingram, who top-scored for the Pelicans with 28 points (10-of-17 shooting), seven rebounds and five assists, and C.J. McCollum chipped in 21 points and six assists as well.

For the Nets, Durant showed he is still arguably the best scorer in the league with 32 points on 11-of-21 shooting, and he also tallied four blocks in an impressive two-way performance despite his team's shortcomings.

Box-office Banchero validates top draft selection 

Paolo Banchero was not thought to be an option for the Orlando Magic with the first overall pick until the day of the NBA Draft, but he showed exactly why they took him with a spectacular debut in a 113-109 loss on the road to the Detroit Pistons.

Banchero shattered the Magic record for points by a debuting rookie – previously set at 13 – with 27 on 11-of-18 shooting, and he also grabbed nine rebounds and dished five assists in a complete performance, posting a plus/minus of plus two in his 35 minutes.

It was a great debut for rookie Jaden Ivey as well, who the Pistons selected with the fifth overall pick, as he put up 19 points on eight-of-15 shooting with four assists and three steals.

Ivey complemented last year's top pick Cade Cunningham beautifully, with Cunningham running the show on his way to 18 points (six-of-16 shooting) and 10 assists, while newly acquired Bojan Bogdanovic top-scored for Detroit with 24 points on eight-of-16 shooting after hitting six of his first seven three-point attempts.

Morant lifts the Grizzlies in overtime

Ja Morant had his potential game-winner wiped off the board due to a contentious charging foul, but his Memphis Grizzlies got the job done at home in overtime to defeat the New York Knicks 115-112.

Morant was the game's top-scorer with 34 points on 11-of-24 shooting, and his nine assists was equal with New York's Jalen Brunson for the most in the contest.

Starting in place of the injured Jaren Jackson Jr, Santi Aldama gave a good performance with 18 points (seven-of-14 shooting) and 11 rebounds, while Julius Randle was the Knicks' best player, scoring 24 points (nine-of-16 shooting) with 11 rebounds and six assists.

Mitchell shines in Cavaliers debut despite loss

The Cleveland Cavaliers were treated to a terrific debut from star offseason acquisition Donovan Mitchell, but it was not enough to overcome an early Darius Garland injury in a 108-105 road loss to the Toronto Raptors.

All-Star point guard Garland only played 13 minutes before his night ended with a rough poke to the eye in the second quarter. Taking over some of Garland's point guard responsibilities, Mitchell dished off nine assists as well as leading the game in scoring with 31 on 12-of-21 shooting.

All five Raptors starters scored at least 15 points in classic Toronto fashion, with Pascal Siakam tallying 23 on nine-of-20 shooting with 11 rebounds and four steals, while reigning Rookie of the Year Scottie Barnes had 15 points (seven-of-14 shooting) with seven assists and a game-high plus/minus of plus 20 in his 32 minutes.

Zion Williamson will be day-to-day despite exiting the New Orleans Pelicans' 120-103 preseason loss to the Miami Heat on Wednesday early with left ankle soreness.

The 2019 NBA Draft top overall pick missed all of last season with a foot injury, meaning there was concern with his departure with 6:42 left in the second quarter against the Heat after rolling his ankle entering the lane.

But Williamson and Pelicans head coach Willie Green both clarified that the decision was precautionary.

Green said: "He's doing fine. Looks like, I think, he might have rolled his ankle a little bit. He’ll be day to day."

Williamson had 11 points on three-of-seven shooting until that point, having spent a few more minutes on court trying to play through pain.

"It was one of those things where it happened and I popped back up, like, 'Yeah, I'm straight,'" Williamson said.

"Played a few minutes after that, it felt fine. Then they sent me to the back just to double check. We wanted to look at it, had a doc look at it, and he just said a little day-to-day soreness. And, but outside of that, I personally feel fine. Wasn't bad news from the docs."

Williamson averaged 27.0 points, 7.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists in the 2020-21 season, where he became an All-Star, having played only 24 games in his rookie season.

The Pels have one more preseason game against the Atlanta Hawks on Friday, before starting their NBA campaign against the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday.

"I got a new team since the last time I played," Zion Williamson said following his preseason debut at the start of the month.

This was scarcely an exaggeration; the New Orleans Pelicans only retain five players from when Williamson last played in the NBA in May 2021. Naji Marshall – a rookie in 2020-21 – was the sole other member of the starting five in the preseason win over the Chicago Bulls that Williamson would have been familiar with.

"I'm still learning some of the guys," he added.

Crucially, though, Williamson had left behind a losing team. Without him, the Pelicans learnt to win – and he must now fit into that.

Williamson was typically influential in his last regular season outing against the Golden State Warriors – his 23 points marking a 15th straight game in which he scored 20 or more.

Damian Lillard was the only other player to achieve two such streaks of 15 games or more in the 2020-21 season, with Williamson's 25-game sequence – which ended with 16 points against the Brooklyn Nets around a month earlier – the longest of the year.

Of Williamson's final 41 games of the campaign, he scored 20 or more points in 40 of them, averaging 28.7 per game over this stretch.

But the Pelicans lost marginally more of those games than they won (20-21) and were outside the 2020-21 Western Conference play-in places when he was ruled out with a fractured finger.

New Orleans still undoubtedly had a better team with Williamson in it, though, going 1-5 the rest of the way to remain in 11th in the West and miss the playoffs for a third straight season.

Over the two seasons that followed the Pelicans taking Williamson with the first overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, their winning percentage without the forward (35.6) was far lower than with him involved (47.1) – a sample size that was far bigger than they would have hoped, given Williamson missed 59 games.

Williamson's 2,187 points to date – equating to 25.7 points per game – rank second since the NBA-ABA merger for the most through 85 career games. The sole man ahead of him is Michael Jordan (2,387 – 28.1).

This is fine company to be keeping, but Jordan, despite a broken foot, played his 86th NBA game in his second season; Williamson's will come in his fourth.

With the Pelicans already struggling with such a talent in their ranks, the fractured foot Williamson himself sustained a year ago that ultimately kept him out for the entirety of the 2021-22 season was an obvious concern.

As it was, forced to accept Williamson's absence, New Orleans adapted. They were undoubtedly better for it, too, but have work to do to again incorporate one of the most talented players in the league.

Williamson's role on the Pelicans had understandably dominated the narrative around the team for two years. It took time for the Pels to work out how best to use a forward with the physical attributes to play center and the playmaking ability to play 'Point Zion'.

So, it took time again to adjust to the considerable hole his injury left in the line-up, with Williamson having led New Orleans in usage rate in both 2019-20 (29.9 per cent) and 2020-21 (also 29.9).

After a big opening-day loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, rookie Herb Jones was inserted into the line-up as Pelicans coach Willie Green named an unchanged team in five straight games. The Pels lost four of them.

That line-up did not start another game all season, but Green's attempts to find a quick fix were similarly fruitless, with the team 1-12 almost a month into the season and the coach explaining: "Until we get it right, we have to continue to make adjustments and see what works."

Eventually, on November 24, those adjustments led to a line-up showing only one change from those imbalanced early attempts – Josh Hart in for Nickeil Alexander-Walker – and the Pelicans beat the Washington Wizards by 25 points.

Between that game and a win at the Houston Rockets in early February – the final time that line-up was used – those five had a 12-7 record as starters versus 6-9 for all other New Orleans line-ups combined.

Yet even with center Jonas Valanciunas contributing handily, the Pelicans were still relying too much on Brandon Ingram's scoring, having lost not just Williamson but also the only three guards to have 10 or more 20-point games for the team over the previous two seasons combined (Jrue Holiday, Lonzo Ball and JJ Redick).

Needing more from their back court, a trade with the Portland Trail Blazers, who New Orleans had just passed in the standings, saw both Hart and Alexander-Walker sacrificed for CJ McCollum.

It was a risk that was richly rewarded, as McCollum scored 20 or more points in 20 of his 26 games for the Pelicans, averaging a career-high 24.3. Meanwhile, Ingram sat for most of March through injury – a setback that would have been far more damaging without McCollum – but still averaged 22.0 following his new team-mate's debut.

The Pelicans had averaged 105.9 points per game before the trade; that shot up to 115.9 after McCollum's arrival, improving from 14th in the West in scoring to sixth. A 14-14 record was unspectacular but this time enough to make the play-in.

McCollum and Ingram combined for 59 points in a win over the San Antonio Spurs and then 49 to upset the Los Angeles Clippers, reaching a first-round series with the number one seed Phoenix Suns, who were taken to six games as Ingram averaged a series-high 27.0.

The Pelicans finished their season with a defeat but also with momentum. Williamson signed his five-year, $193million rookie max extension at the start of July.

If New Orleans were a .500 team without their best player, there is the potential for them to do something really special this year with him back on the court.

"I want to prove that I'm a winner, it's as simple as that," Williamson said as he signed his contract, outlining the "ultimate goal" to win a title.

More recently, Williamson has detailed a mentality shift during the offseason as he spent two months in Fort Lauderdale working with a strength and conditioning coach.

"The best way to describe it is I found true resolve within the game of basketball," he said. "Something mentally in me shifted, changed, and the game of basketball... that's it for me. That's my love, it's what I want to do.

"I'm just excited to get out there and show the world what I can do."

Ingram was injured again as preseason got under way, so Williamson will start the season still learning how best to share the ball with his fellow forward as well as new man McCollum, although few would doubt he has the talent and versatility to adjust with time.

Once that process is completed, finding a way to keep Williamson fit may be the Pelicans' biggest concern – just as it always has been.

Zion Williamson impressed in his return for the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday after missing the entire 2021-22 season, although he says he "couldn't show them everything".

The 2019 NBA Draft top overall pick put in a 15-minute cameo, scoring 13 points with four rebounds as the Pelicans won 129-125 over the Chicago Bulls in their preseason opener.

Williamson, 22, had not played competitively for the Pelicans for 514 days, dating back to May 2021, having sat out last season with a foot injury.

The power forward, who said he felt like he was at his best again at last week's media day, was impressive during his brief appearance, where he teamed up with an unfamiliar Pelicans line-up to that which he last played with following numerous personnel changes.

"Couldn't show them everything," Williamson told reporters. "But just kind of getting a feel for it again. Find spots. Picking and choosing where I want to attack.

"But I got a new team since the last time I played. I'm still learning some of the guys. Today we were able to click.

"I feel like if we can do that for the rest of these preseason games, I feel we'll be in pretty good shape."

The Pelicans struggled in Williamson's absence last season, missing the playoffs with a 36-46 record under head coach Willie Green.

"He looked good and he's just going to continue to get better," Green said about Williamson.

"That's what we know about Z. He works at it. He's a competitor. And you know it doesn't look like it, but he had 13 points, four rebounds in 15 minutes. That's the type of work he puts in on the floor."

Williamson averaged 27.0 points with 61.1 percent shooting, 3.7 assists and 7.2 rebounds across 61 games in the 2020-21 season before his foot injury. He only played 24 times in his rookie season in 2019-20 before becoming an NBA All-Star in 2021.

The New Orleans Pelicans were a pleasant surprise last season playing without their best player, earning a postseason berth in the NBA’s play-in tournament and giving the top-seeded Phoenix Suns a compelling six-game series.  

But to achieve more, the Pelicans will need a healthy Zion Williamson on the floor.  

If the star’s comments at the Pelicans' media day are any indication, New Orleans should finally see their roster at full force in 2022-23.  

"I feel like I'm at my best right now," Williamson said. "I feel like I'm moving faster, jumping higher. I feel great."

At last year’s media day, the Pelicans announced that Williamson had a broken right foot. The team and fans alike spent all last season waiting for a return that never came due to a series of setbacks.  

Williamson, who has played 85 career games since being drafted first overall in 2019, last stepped foot on an NBA court on May 4, 2021.  

"That's a long time without playing a game, but my excitement level is through the roof," Williamson said. "I'm just ready to get back on the court."

Despite his injury history, the 22-year-old forward said he is confident he will be healthier going forward, crediting the guidance of veteran teammates C.J. McCollum, Garrett Temple and Larry Nance Jr.  

"I learned a lot from a nutrition standpoint, from working-out standpoint, how long I need to be in the gym and the most efficient way to work out," Williamson said.  

McCollum, who received a two-year, $64 million contract extension last weekend, was a scoring machine down the stretch for the Pelicans after being acquired at last season’s trade deadline.  

The 31-year-old guard averaged 24.3 points in 26 games with the Pelicans last season, while Brandon Ingram scored 22.7 points per game.  

Reincorporating Williamson – who was a 27-point scorer in 2020-21 – to that mix is a challenge that head coach Willie Green welcomes.  

"I go back and watch film, watch some things that work, and then it's constantly talking with him, talking to the coaching staff and figuring out what works," Green said. "If it works, we will try to make sure we add it. If it doesn't, we move on.  

"But it'll be a progression with Zion, and it won't be a thing where right away we see the Zion that we're accustomed to seeing. I think it will be a progression based on him missing the time that he missed." 

While Green may be trying to temper expectations early this season, Williamson is expecting immediate chemistry with his teammates.  

"I think it's gonna be really easy for me to fit in with my teammates because they play the game the right way," Williamson said. "Nobody's selfish. Everybody wants to see each other succeed.

"Now, there are things we are gonna have to learn. Like I'll have to learn how to play with C.J. and [Ingram] on the court, learn how to play with Jose [Alvarado], Trey [Murphy], Herb [Jones] because I haven't played with those guys yet, but from watching film, it looks like it is gonna be an easy fit."

Zion Williamson received the ultimate present on his 22nd birthday. 

As a thank you, he wants to deliver a championship to the New Orleans Pelicans. 

Williamson officially signed his five-year, $231million rookie max extension with the Pelicans at a YMCA in New Orleans where he was hosting a camp.  

He signed the deal on Wednesday, the same day he turned 22, and sitting alongside Pelicans general manager Trajan Langdon, executive VP of basketball operations David Griffin and coach Willie Green, Williamson – not surprisingly – said this is the number one birthday he has ever had. 

"For the Pelicans to give me this birthday gift, I'm not going to let them down," Williamson said. 

A year ago on his birthday, Williamson found out he broke his foot forcing him to miss the entire 2021-22 season. Now that he has been cleared to play, he has lofty goals. 

"I want to prove that I'm a winner, it's as simple as that," he said. "The ultimate goal is to win a championship. And I feel like that's what we're all striving for." 

The Pelicans made the playoffs this past season without Williamson and took the No. 1 seed Phoenix Suns to six games before being ousted. 

With Williamson in the fold, the hope is he can help the franchise take the next step. 

"It's gonna all come together at some point throughout the course of the season," Green said. "And when it does, I think we can be a scary team."

Williamson has only appeared in a mere 85 games since being the top pick of the 2019 NBA draft, but he has been outstanding when healthy, averaging 25.7 points, 7 rebounds and 3.2 assists while shooting just over 60 per cent. 

Since his rookie season, Williamson has been instrumental to New Orleans' success. The Pelicans have won 47.1 per cent of their games while averaging 116.4 points in the 85 games Williamson has played, compared to winning 40.4 per cent of the games and an average of 111.1 points in the contests he has missed.  

"Adding [Zion] back on the court with the group that we have is going to be a lot of fun but also really dangerous for the entire league and all of the 29 teams that have to face us night in and night out," Langdon said. "We are incredibly excited about that."

Suiting up alongside Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum, Williamson gives the Pelicans another scoring threat making the offense even more dangerous. New Orleans' offense thrived after acquiring McCollum last February, averaging 115.9 points after the trade compared to an average of 105.9 points in their first 54 games. 

"We have an opportunity to be able to run toward sustained success for quite a long time," Griffin said. "We're young, we're talented, and most importantly – we are very hungry." 

Zion Williamson is set to agree a five-year, $231million rookie max extension with the New Orleans Pelicans.

The imminent deal was reported by The Athletic's Shams Charania on Friday, the second day of NBA free agency.

A number of leading stars were given new deals on Thursday – including Nikola Jokic, Devin Booker and Ja Morant – and Williamson should now join them.

The Pelicans are building an exciting young team, making the playoffs in 2021-22 and taking the number one seed Phoenix Suns to six games despite Williamson's injury absence.

New Orleans could be forgiven for having some concerns about committing such a huge sum to Williamson, though.

The former first overall pick has played only 85 games in three seasons in the NBA – albeit he has averaged 25.7 points and 7.0 rebounds per game.

Williamson has spoken of his desire to commit to the Pelicans, but Charania added this deal was expected to include "protections".

The New Orleans Pelicans want Zion Williamson to stay with the franchise.

And Williamson says the feeling is mutual. 

Speaking on Saturday at a New Orleans YMCA where he held a youth and basketball camp registration, Williamson was asked if opening the camp was a sign he wanted to stay with the Pelicans.

"I do want to be here," Williamson said. "That's no secret. I feel like I've stood on that when I spoke."

Williamson reiterated that he wanted to stay with New Orleans just days after Pelicans executive VP of basketball operations David Griffin said it was essentially a no-brainer that the team will offer him the max of five years and at least $182 million despite the fact he missed the entire 2021-22 season due to a foot injury.

"It's not a big decision. It's a pretty easy decision," Griffin said on a podcast. "This is a max player. That's easy. The kid is historically good when he plays.

"What becomes significant with a team that's a small-market team that can't make mistakes in terms of injuries over time, you have to indemnify yourself in some way." 

When asked on Saturday about the extension, Williamson, who recently said he "couldn't sign it fast enough", smiled and said: "You have to ask the Pels, baby."

The Pelicans made the playoffs this past season without Williamson, who should be fit to suit up for the 2022-23 opener after being cleared on May 26 to play this offseason without any restrictions.

"It was a long year for me for rehab and mental battles. I'm fine now. I'm ready to get to work," he said.

Since his 2019-20 rookie season, Williamson has appeared in just 85 games, but he has been outstanding when healthy, averaging 25.7 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.2 assists while shooting just over 60 per cent.

Despite missing all of last season due to injury, Zion Williamson remains very much in the long-term plans of the New Orleans Pelicans, according to executive VP of basketball operations David Griffin. 

Appearing on a podcast, Griffin expressed confidence in signing Williamson to a maximum-salary extension this offseason and said it’s an "easy decision". 

Williamson said in his postseason press conference that he’s eager to sign long-term with the Pelicans after the team made a late run to the playoffs. Griffin said it’s essentially a no-brainer that he will get a max offer of five years and at least $182 million. 

"We feel really confident he wants to be here, and we’re equally confident we can come to an agreement," Griffin said. 

Because Williamson missed the entire 2021-22 season due to a foot injury and has played in just 85 games since entering the league in 2019, the Pelicans could seek protections within the deal. 

"It’s not a big decision. It’s a pretty easy decision," Griffin said. "This is a max player. That’s easy. The kid is historically good when he plays.

"What becomes significant with a team that’s a small-market team that can’t make mistakes in terms of injuries over time, you have to indemnify yourself in some way." 

Williamson was recently cleared to play this offseason without any restrictions after recent imaging on the fifth metatarsal in his right foot showed continued improvement. 

Barring any setbacks, he should be ready to return next season and take the court for the first time since May 2021.  

Williamson has been an extremely effective player when healthy, averaging 25.7 points, 7 rebounds and 3.2 assists while shooting just over 60 percent from the field for his career.  

Offseason work pic.twitter.com/scnFaHUil3

— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) June 7, 2022

Zion Williamson has been cleared to return to play without any restrictions.

The New Orleans Pelicans star did not play a single game this season due to a foot fracture as his team reached the playoffs through the play-in tournament, before losing 4-2 to the Phoenix Suns in the first round.

Williamson has been troubled by fitness issues throughout his NBA career, and the former first overall pick returned to full team activities in late November, only to suffer further setbacks.

However, the Pelicans confirmed on Thursday that the 21-year-old is finally able to return without restrictions, saying via a statement: "The New Orleans Pelicans announced today that recent imaging of Zion Williamson's right fifth metatarsal showed continued improvement.

"Williamson has been cleared in his return to play progression without any restrictions."

In the 2020-21 season, Williamson averaged 27.0 points and 7.2 rebounds from 61 games, and scored more than 20 in each of his last 15 games before getting injured just over a year ago.

Williamson is eligible for a five-year, $181million max rookie extension ahead of the 2022-23 season, and he will not think twice if that offer comes from the Pelicans, recently saying: "Of course, I couldn't sign it fast enough."

Zion Williamson says he is committed to the New Orleans Pelicans, who were rejuvenated in the 2021-22 season he spent on the sideline.

Former first overall pick Williamson did not play a single game this season as the Pelicans reached the playoffs through the play-in tournament and then took the Phoenix Suns to six games.

The optimism around the team would increase further with the forward's return next year after playing just 85 games through three years.

When he has been on the court, Williamson has averaged 25.7 points on 60.4 per cent shooting, scoring 20 or more points in each of his 15 most recent outings – all of which came way back in 2020-21.

The former Duke sensation's dedication to the Pelicans has been questioned at times, but he appeared enthused discussing the future on Friday following their playoff elimination.

"It sucks watching from the sideline, because I just want to be out there," Williamson said. "But you're seeing the potential. We've got a lot of great pieces.

"The locker room [had] a different feel this year. A lot of that goes to BI's [Brandon Ingram's] leadership, the young guys buying in to coach [Willie] Green so fast.

"You saw it on the court. Man, we have a special group, I truly believe that."

Williamson is eligible for a five-year, $181million max rookie extension ahead of the 2022-23 season, and he is not planning to think twice if that offer comes from the Pelicans.

"Of course, I couldn't sign it fast enough," he said.

Zion Williamson's failure to welcome CJ McCollum to the New Orleans Pelicans added to a "pattern of behaviour" that shows the former first overall pick to be "a detached team-mate".

That is the view of JJ Redick, a former Pelicans team-mate.

Injuries have limited Williamson to just 85 games in the NBA since he was drafted in 2019, meaning the discussion around the forward has instead centred on his commitment to the Pelicans.

The team have made moves to try to build a competitive team in the absence of a potential superstar, who averages 25.7 points for his career.

But McCollum, the latest recruit from the Portland Trail Blazers, said at the weekend he was yet to speak with Williamson directly.

And Redick, speaking on Tuesday, was able to offer an insight into life alongside the 21-year-old, whose status remains unclear as he waits to play his first game this season following a foot injury.

"This just shows a complete lack of investment in your team, in the organisation, in the city," Redick told First Take.

"I get that he's hurt and away from the team, but you just traded for one of the 50 best players in the league – a guy that's supposed to be paired with you. Reach out and say, 'hello'.

"This is a pattern of behaviour with Zion that we are seeing again and again. I was his team-mate; I can describe him as a detached team-mate – that is an accurate statement."

Redick, who joined the Pelicans at the same time as Williamson and left in March 2021, said: "Yes, he's been amazing when he's been on the court – 100 per cent.

"He's amazing to watch. There's no one that can do what he does on a basketball court.

"But as a team-mate, there is a pattern of behaviour; as a fully invested individual in New Orleans, there's a pattern of behaviour. This is worrisome."

Zion Williamson is no nearer to a return to NBA action after the New Orleans Pelicans confirmed he would require at least four to six weeks before his foot injury was assessed again.

Williamson has been dogged by fitness issues throughout his NBA career and is yet to feature in 2021-22 due to a foot fracture.

The former first overall pick returned to full team activities in late November, only to suffer further setbacks.

Williamson's training programme was reduced last week and now, in an update on Thursday, the Pelicans have detailed the anticipated minimum length of his lay-off.

"Following a consultation and further evaluation with Dr. Richard Ferkel of the Southern California Orthopedic Institute yesterday, Zion Williamson received a biologic injection into the fracture site to stimulate bone healing in his right foot," the team said.

"Williamson will be limited to low impact, partial weight-bearing activities for an extended period.

"Further updates will be given following further imaging which is anticipated to occur in 4-6 weeks."

The Pelicans, who are a miserable 9-21, could therefore play as many as 18 more games before Williamson is even considered again.

Although New Orleans are 40-45 with Williamson over the past three seasons – compared to 30-59 without him – they are 3.5 games back on the play-in round in the West and look a long shot to recover any sort of playoff push from this campaign.