The New Orleans Pelicans announced on Monday that both Zion Williamson and CJ McCollum both missed the rest of the 2024-25 NBA season due to injuries. Williamson dealt with a bone contusion in his lower back in a March 19 game against Minnesota, while McCollum suffered a contusion in his right foot in a March 23 loss to Detroit, and they focused on rest and recovery programs.
This marks another injury season for Williamson, who has been eliminated several times throughout his career. The first pick completed the season with only 30 games continuing the unsettling trend of missing time. Williamson has only exceeded 30 games twice in six seasons, and his best match in the 2023-24 season was 70 games. This year, he averaged 24.6 points, 7.2 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game. Although he is effective on the court, his injury problems severely limit his availability.
McCollum also struggled with injuries, playing in 56 games this season, averaging 21.1 points and 4.1 assists per game. The injury to the 34-year-old guard is another setback for the Pelicans, who have been eliminated from the playoffs. McCollum is in his final year of contract and is likely to hope to fully recover next season.
The Pelicans have a record of 21-54 and are currently at the top of the league, competing for the best draft position. The injury has caused a huge loss to the team this season, and major players such as Trey Murphy III (Torn Labrum), Dejounte Murray (Achilles) and Brandon Ingram (ankle sprain) are also missing a lot of time. Now, the team faces the rest of the season with several major players unavailable and hopes to get a high draft pick in the upcoming lottery.
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