Pelicans’ Zion Williamson Explains Surprise ‘Day-To-Day’ Injury

On Wednesday, the New Orleans Pelicans will try to get their first win of the 2025-26 season, traveling into hostile territory to face the Denver Nuggets. As the Nuggets are led by a three-time NBA MVP, Nikola Jokic, it would seem like the odds are stacked against them. The fact that there’s a real chance they’ll have to take them on without their best player, one Zion Williamson, only adds to their anxiety.

The Basketball Gods Struck Pelicans With Zion Williamson Injury

Though the Pelicans would lose in overtime, Williamson had a sensational showing against the San Antonio Spurs last Friday. In the end, he would record 27 points, 10 rebounds (five offensive), seven assists and three steals in 37 minutes. It was a flawed performance due to his untimely turnovers and unsightly free-throw percentage (68.8%, 11-16). Nevertheless, the two-time All-Star was able to make a number of game-changing plays as he continues what he hopes to be a redemption tour.

The basketball gods just gave Williamson another challenge though. In the fourth quarter of their loss to the Spurs, Williamson threw down a vicious putback dunk on Defensive Player of the Year favorite Victor Wembanyama in the fourth quarter. A highlight-reel play that galvanized the home crowd, it got Williamson fired up too. So much adrenaline was running through him that he didn’t even notice what just happened.

“Landed on someone’s foot and the side of my foot just banged the ground,” Williamson says of the play, per NOLA.com’s Rod Walker. “The pain level didn’t really pick up until a day or two days later. I spoke with the team, made the best decision on it. Got it looked at.”