New Orleans Pelicans ahead Zion Williamson reacts to an official’s name within the first half of an NBA basketball sport towards the Minnesota Timberwolves in New Orleans, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025. (AP Photograph/Gerald Herbert)
PHILADELPHIA — The New Orleans Pelicans suspended energy ahead Zion Williamson for Friday evening’s sport towards Philadelphia for a violation of workforce insurance policies.
Williamson has been tardy this season to a number of Pelicans practices or flights, which led to the one-game ban.
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“There have been a number of events that led as much as this and that’s how we bought to this determination,” coach Willie Inexperienced stated forward of the 76ers’ sport.
READ: NBA: Zion Williamson scores 22 in return, Pelicans fall to Wolves
Williamson has been sidelined by varied accidents for extra video games than he has performed since being drafted first general out of Duke in 2019. He has appeared in simply seven of New Orleans’ 38 video games this season. The Pelicans have gone 2-5 in these video games, and 5-26 with out him.
The 24-year-old Williamson apologized in a press release to workforce proprietor Gayle Benson and the complete group for his habits.
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“I take full accountability for this suspension,” he stated. “I’ve labored extraordinarily laborious in rehab to get wholesome to ship for this workforce. There is no such thing as a excuse for being late to workforce actions. I’ve apologized to Mrs. Benson and my teammates and coaches and I additionally owe an apology to the followers. I can and might be higher as a teammate and member of this group.”
Williamson confirmed one other flash of his expertise with a monster dunk Tuesday towards Minnesota.
Williamson symbolically introduced his return from a 27-game damage absence with a breakaway dunk during which he rotated 360 levels within the air whereas throwing down a crowd-pleasing, double-clutch, roundhouse jam.
Williamson additionally had six rebounds, 4 assists, three steals and a block on Wolves middle Rudy Gobert. After a couple of minutes on the courtroom, he revved up the group with a hovering two-handed dunk of CJ McCollum’s lengthy alley-oop lob.
READ: NBA: Zion Williamson, Pelicans purpose for first playoff success
Williamson, although, was dominated out for the following sport towards Portland for relaxation and can now miss two straight video games along with his absence towards the Sixers.
The Pelicans play once more Sunday at Boston.
“This one-game suspension is a results of failing to satisfy our workforce requirements. His dedication to this group is of paramount significance to us and to him,” Pelicans govt vice chairman David Griffin stated. “He has taken accountability for his actions and reaffirmed that dedication to the workforce right now. I’m assured he’ll proceed to evolve positively on and off the ground.”
The Pelicans additionally will play Friday with out ahead and high defensive participant Herb Jones. Jones has a posterior labrum tear in his proper shoulder that can s ideline him indefinitely.
Jones underwent an MRI on Thursday after leaving Wednesday evening’s loss to Portland.
Jones additionally missed 18 video games earlier this season due to an damage in the identical shoulder earlier than returning on Dec. 5 and beginning 16 consecutive video games.
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Jones has performed in 20 of New Orleans’ 38 video games this season, averaging 10.3 factors, 3.9 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.9 steals in 32.4 minutes per sport.
