New Orleans Pelicans star rookie Zion Williamson expected to miss 6 to 8 weeks following surgery to repair torn meniscus

Kyle Irving

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New Orleans Pelicans star rookie Zion Williamson expected to miss 6 to 8 weeks following surgery to repair torn meniscus image

The New Orleans Pelicans will be without their star rookie to start the 2019-20 season.

The team announced that Zion Williamson underwent successful surgery to repair a torn meniscus. His timetable to return is six to eight weeks.


According to the New York Times' Marc Stein, six weeks would sideline Williamson for 20 games, eight weeks would sideline him for closer to 30 games.

Zion had a ton of success in four preseason contests for the Pelicans averaging 23.3 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists on 71.4 percent shooting from the field. New Orleans will have to find a way to stay afloat without their rookie phenom, as they have the third-hardest schedule in the league prior to the All-Star break, according to NBA.com's Micah Adams.

Williamson is considered the heavy favourite to win Rookie of the Year and the number of games he misses to start the season could have a major impact on that as well.

The Pelicans are set to take on the Toronto Raptors without Zion on opening night.

Kyle Irving

Kyle Irving Photo

You read that wrong – not Kyrie Irving. From Boston, graduated from the University of New Hampshire. Sixth season as a content producer for NBA.com's Global editions. Covering the NBA Draft has become his annual "dream come true" moment on the job. Irving has a soft spot for pass-first point guards, with Rajon Rondo and Steve Nash being two of his favorite players of all time.