Zion Williamsonhas been ruled out indefinitely due to an injured right knee, according to the New Orleans Pelicans.
The 19-year-old is known for his explosive dunks but he has also been dealing with some knee issues in college at Duke.
Williamson is likely to miss the start of the NBA season that begins on Tuesday because he complained of “soreness” in his right knee.
His dominant play in the preseason had been one of the league’s few upbeat counters to a breakdown in its decades-long business relationship with China, which has dominated sports news coverage for the past two weeks.
The New Orleans Pelican will kick-start their season on Tuesday with the Toronto Raptors.
Alvin Gentry, the Pelicans coach told reporters that Williamson is believed to pick up the injury on October 13 against the San Antonio Spurs. Gentry did not specify how long the team expects Williamson to be ruled out. Williamson will undergo further evaluation and treatment.
“Williamson has avoided a serious injury to his right knee but is expected to miss a period of weeks,” according to ESPN.
This is not the first time Williamson is going to miss out games in his pro career. In July, in banged his knees with an opposing player in Las Vegas, picking up an injury to his left knee and prompting his team to hold him out for rest of the games.
The current knee injury seems to amplify concerns about the weight (284 pounds) Williamson carries on his tall stature.
