New Orleans Pelicans rookie Zion Williamson leaves NBA bubble for family matter
Rookie sensation Zion Williamson has left the NBA bubble due to a family matter, but the New Orleans Pelicans hope to have him back by the time they play the Kings at Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando.
The Pelicans issued a statement announcing Williamson left the NBA bubble Thursday morning to attend to an urgent family medical matter. The team said Williamson plans to return for the NBA restart at a later date.
“We fully support Zion’s decision to leave the NBA campus to be with his family,” said David Griffin, the Pelicans’ vice president of basketball operations. “Out of respect for the Williamson family, we have no further comment at this time.”
The Pelicans did not say how long Williamson will be away from the team. According to ESPN, Williamson will have to quarantine for four days upon his return if he is gone for seven days or less and tests negative for COVID-19 each day he is away. If he is gone more than seven days, he will have to test negative each of the last seven days he is away. If Williamson doesn’t test daily and continues to produce negative results, he will have to quarantine for 10 days when he returns.
The Pelicans have 14 days before they play the Utah Jazz on July 30 in the first of eight seeding games prior to the start of the NBA playoffs. The Pelicans have two crucial games against the Kings on Aug. 6 and Aug. 11. The Kings, Pelicans and Portland Trail Blazers are in a virtual three-way tie for ninth in the Western Conference, 3½ games behind the Memphis Grizzlies.
Williamson averaged 23.6 points and 6.8 rebounds in 19 games before the NBA suspended the season in March due to the coronavirus pandemic.
This story was originally published July 16, 2020 at 9:49 AM.
