“My foot was broken and I couldn’t magically heal it; It hurt" - Zion Williamson reveals he was in a dark place during 2021/22 NBA season

Zion Williamson is all set to make his return to the NBA after sitting out the entire 2021-22 season. The New Orleans Pelicans forward suffered a foot injury last offseason but was expected to make a return at some point in the regular season. However, he wasn't able to recover as expected and failed to take the court for a Pelicans team that made some noise in the playoffs.

In his latest interview with the GQ magazine, Zion Willaimson discussed how tough the road to recovery was for him. The first overall pick from the 2019 draft stated that he was in extreme pain. To add to that, people's criticism of his work ethic also started affecting him.

"It’s been a lot. I can sit here and explain it, but nobody will really be able to feel it the way I did. My foot was broken and I couldn’t magically heal it. It hurt because I love the game of basketball. But because of it, I was experiencing hate and pain from people I don’t know every day, and it started to wear on me.”

Zion Williamson has only played a total of 85 games in his NBA career. In his very first year, the forward missed more than half a season due to a torn meniscus. Despite all of that, his performances in limited outings have given fans in New Orleans a sense of belief in the destiny of their franchise.

Williamson is a dominant force in the paint. His size allows him to bully his way to the hoop even through elite opposition. During the 2020-21 season, Zion Williamson played 61 games. He averaged 27 PPG there and shot 61.7% from the field. His PPG that season was the most in the league amongst everybody who had at least 60% field goal shooting percentage.

Also Checkout:- Zion Williamson Net Worth

Fans will be waiting to see what changes he brings to his game after a one-year absence. The Pelicans have an exciting team and with Williamson back, it will be interesting to see how far they go next season.

How important is next season for Zion Williamson?

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Zion Williamson came into the NBA after being picked number one overall by the New Orleans Pelicans in the 2019 draft. There were a lot of expectations from him as his college career with Duke was nothing short of exceptional. However, since making his way into the league, fans have only gotten a little glimpse of Williamson's capabilities due to his injury problems.

Also Checkout:- Zion Williamson Contract

Despite his limited appearances, the Pelicans entrusted their faith in the forward by signing him to a five-year max extension in the offseason. According to reports, they have added a weight clause to the contract. But it only makes sense as that has been something of a problem for Zion in his NBA career.

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