When the New Orleans Pelicans’ star Zion Williamson stepped on the court for the 2022-23 opener against the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday, he was getting ready for his first game in over a year. But watching Williamson on the floor, you wouldn’t have noticed that.
The 22-year-old power forward had a dominant return to action, scoring 25 points and adding nine rebounds, three assists, and four steals. Thanks to Williamson and contributions from Brandon Ingram, who scored 28 points and had seven rebounds, the Pelicans’ strolled to a comfortable 130-108 win.
Speaking after the game, Williamson said that he believes he can still improve a lot despite the big performance against the Nets.
“It’s a lot of room for improvement,” Williamson told reporters. “I’m still learning my teammates. Now we get real in-game reps. I’m just excited to grow.”
Zion Williamson was forced to miss the entire 2021-22 NBA season after suffering a Jones fracture in his right foot and requiring surgery. Despite this, the Pelicans decided to sign him to a new extension this summer that maxes out at 5-year and $231 million. If Williamson’s 2022-23 debut is any indicator, this seems like money well spent for the Pelicans.
