Zion Williamson is considered day-to-day going into the 2022-23 NBA season.
While it's been months since the one-time All-Star was cleared to play after missing all of last season, he suffered an ankle injury in preseason, forcing him to sit the team's final game.
“I want to use the right term, but in the moment, it didn’t feel too good,” Williamson said. “It was one of those things that happened and I popped back up like, ‘Yeah, I’m straight.’ Played a few minutes after that, felt fine, then they sent me to the back just to double-check.”
The Pelicans open their season on Wednesday against the Nets. Will Williamson be cleared to play?
Here's the latest on Williamson's status going into the Pelicans' season opener.
MORE: Expert predictions for 2022-23 season, including MVP and best record
Is Zion Williamson playing vs. Nets tonight?
Williamson is on track to play on Wednesday.
On Monday, head coach Willie Green said that Williamson was able to go through a full practice. Williamson then made it clear that he plans to play against the Nets.
Sure enough, Williamson isn't on the injury report ahead of Wednesday's game.
“I’m playing Wednesday,” Zion Williamson announced after practice today. https://t.co/1LmHx3AXcg
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) October 17, 2022
New Orleans selected Williamson with the No. 1 pick in the 2019 NBA Draft. Through 85 career games, he's averaging 25.7 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.2 assists on 60.4 percent shooting from the field.
A torn meniscus limited Williamson to 24 games in his rookie season. He appeared in 61 of a possible 72 games in 2020-21, but he missed all of the 2021-22 season after undergoing surgery to repair a fractured foot.
Despite his injury history, Williamson signed a five-year max extension with New Orleans in the offseason.
What channel is Pelicans vs. Nets on?
- Date: Wednesday, Oct. 19
- TV channel: YES Network (Nets regional area), Bally Sports (Pelicans regional area)
- Live stream: NBA League Pass | Sling TV
Pelicans vs. Nets will air on YES Network in Brooklyn and Bally Sports in New Orleans. Viewers in the rest of the United States can stream the game on NBA League Pass or Sling TV.
Fans in the U.S. can watch the biggest games of the 2022-23 NBA season on Sling TV. Stream Sling Orange for $35/month to catch all regular season games on TNT, ESPN & ABC. For games on NBA TV, subscribe to Sling Orange & Sports Extra for $46/month. Local regional blackout restrictions apply.
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Pelicans vs. Nets start time
- Date: Wednesday, Oct. 19
- Time: 7:30 p.m. ET | 4:30 p.m. PT
Pelicans vs. Nets is scheduled to tip off around 7:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Oct. 19. The game will be played at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
Pelicans schedule 2022-23
Here are the first five games of the season for the Pelicans:
| Date | Opponent | Time (ET) | TV channel |
| Oct. 19 | at Nets | 7:30 p.m. | |
| Oct. 21 | at Hornets | 7:00 p.m. | |
| Oct. 23 | vs. Jazz | 7:00 p.m. | |
| Oct. 25 | vs. Mavericks | 7:30 p.m. | TNT |
| Oct. 28 | at Suns | 10:00 p.m. | ESPN |
