Zion Williamson: Will the Pelicans rookie return to the NBA Orlando bubble for the team’s playoff push?

Fans of Zion Williamson will have to watch the first games of the New Orleans Pelicans without the star rookie once the NBA restart begins later in the coming weeks. The team announced recently that Williamson had to leave the Orlando bubble, but his teammates remain hopeful for his return while also letting him have his much-needed time back to his family.

NBA Orlando bubble: Why Zion Williamson left

In the previous weeks, many NBA players started going back to their respective training facilities in preparation for the much-anticipated NBA restart. And Williamson was likely very eager to go back to the ballgame after a whirlwind of a season marred with injuries that kept him on the sidelines.

However, the Pelicans announced on July 16 that Williamson had to leave the Orlando bubble due to an “urgent family medical matter.” Out of respect to Williamson and his family, did not specify the reasons surrounding his decision to leave Orlando. On the other hand, fans of the rookie and team will have to appreciate that he left not because of another injury. Also, the Pelicans added in the statement that Williamson is likely to return to the bubble “at a later date.”

Zion Williamson’s teammates show support for the rookie

Considering the reason for Williamson’s exit from the Orlando bubble, the Pelicans naturally do not have a specific timeline for his return. On the bright side, his teammates have shown nothing but support for the NBA rookie. In separate instances, J.J. Redick and Jrue Holiday told fans that they have promised Williamson of “holding down the fort for him” until he can come back.

Whenever Williamson is ready to go back to Orlando, he cannot immediately rejoin his team and play due to health and safety protocols in place. Per the reported rules, he will have to stay in quarantine for as much as 10 days and test negative for COVID-19 twice. Event in the Orland bubble will start on July 30.

Williamson has been one of the most anticipated players in the NBA season 2019-20. Unfortunately, he suffered a torn meniscus during a preseason game that required surgery and kept him off the court for three months. He made his official NBA debut on Jan. 22 in a game against San Antonio Spurs where he scored 22 points.

Williamson has since played 19 games this season and has set an NBA record of becoming the first teenage player to score more than 20 points in 10 consecutive games. That included a career-high of 35 points against the Los Angeles Lakers in March.