Zion Williamson: Pelicans Teaching Him to Walk, Run Differently in Injury Rehab
Zion Williamson addressed his continued recovery from a torn meniscus, telling ESPN's Jorge Sedano he's letting the New Orleans Pelicans dictate the terms for his on-court debut.
Andrew Lopez of ESPN shared the details of Sedano's report:
"Williamson told Sedano that he 'trusts the organization' in their decision making and also shared that his rehab process has been about more than just the recovery from surgery to repair the torn meniscus in his right knee.
"The 19-year-old also said the Pelicans are trying to re-teach him how to walk and run differently - working on the kinetic chain of his body."
When Williamson underwent knee surgery in October, the Pelicans expected him to be back in six to eight weeks. While the No. 1 overall pick is making incremental progress in his rehab, it remains unclear when he'll actually get the green light to play.
Sedano also said during the broadcast of Wednesday's game between New Orleans and the Denver Nuggets that the Pelicans are hopeful Williamson can participate in five-on-five practice once the calendar turns over to 2020.
If New Orleans was contending for a postseason spot, the team might have an added incentive to accelerate Williamson's timeline. Instead, the team is 8-23 and next-to-last in the Western Conference.
Williamson's long-term health should be the Pelicans' bigger concern, so it makes sense to not only make sure his knee has healed but also do everything they can to prevent another knee injury down the road.
