Zion Williamson injury update: New Orleans Pelicans make surprising decision on star

The New Orleans Pelicans have shut down both Zion Williamson and CJ McCollum for the remainder of the 2024-25 season, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported. The news comes with just two weeks left until the regular season ends and the Pelicans eliminated from playoff contention.

Williamson is dealing with a low bone back contusion that he suffered on March 19 against Minnesota. McCollum was diagnosed with a right foot bone contusion after sustaining the injury on March 23 at Detroit.

Zion Williamson, who is in his sixth NBA season, played only 30 games this season due to injury. He has never played a full season and this is the fourth time that he has player 30 or fewer games in a year.

The 6-foot-6 forward was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft out of Duke. He signed a five-year contract worth $197.2 million in 2023-24 and will be with the Pelicans through the 2027-28 season.

Zion Williamson’s talent is undeniable during the games he has played, as he averaged 24.6 points, 7.2 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game this season. But his availability has been an issue so far in his career and he will need to change that.

McCollum is in his 13th NBA season and has one more year remaining on his contract. He averaged 21.1 points and 4.1 assists per game while shooting 44.4% from the floor.

The Pelicans currently have the fourth-best odds of landing the No. 1 overall pick. With so little time left in a lost season, prioritizing the health of both Williamson and McCollum is a move that makes sense.

LeBron James reflects on Duke hatred growing up, crossing paths with Mike Krzyzewski

Like many college basketball fans growing up in the 1990s, LeBron James despised Duke and future Hall of Fame coach Mike Krzyzewski, who was in the midst of an unparalleled run of success in Durham during his four decades at the helm. After winning back-to-back national titles in 1991-92, “Coach K” closed out the Blue Devils’ decade of dominance with the third of his five NCAA championships in 2000-01.

For James, who was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft, that success only made him hate Duke more. That is until he met some of the Blue Devils’ more notable superstars, including Krzyzewski himself.

During an hour-long sitdown on Wednesday’s The Pat McAfee Show, James opened up about his distaste for Duke, and what helped him get over it, including playing under first-year LA Lakers head coach J.J. Redick, a two-time consensus All-American during his days in Durham (2002-06).

“He’s a dickhead, and I love it,” James said of Redick. “When I was a kid and I used to watch Duke, now I realize it, I hated Duke when I was growing up. Then when I got a little older and I started matching up with Coach K, I played for him with Team USA, I was like, ‘OK, I see why he’s great.’

“I see why I hated JJ Redick. I see why I hated Shane Battier, and then Shane came over to us at Miami and helped us win a championship. I was like, I see it. They’re like the greatest guys-slash-dickheads you’ll ever meet.”

On3’s Alex Byington contributed to this report.