Zion Williamson entered the 2024-25 NBA regular season with a career scoring average of 24.7 points per outing but with 206 missed games to his name. He added a 207th on Wednesday night, as the 24-year-old Duke basketball one-and-done and 2019 No. 1 overall draft pick sat out the New Orleans Pelicans’ season-opening 123-111 win over the visiting Chicago Bulls.
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Pelicans head coach Willie Green informed the media that Williamson, who has battled countless injuries and setbacks since his memorable thrill-a-minute college campaign in Durham, has “just some type of virus” and “has been sick the last couple days.”
Perhaps he’ll be back to full strength in time for the Pelicans’ road bout against the Portland Trail Blazers at 10 p.m. ET Friday.
As for New Orleans’ other NBA Blue Devil, 2016-17 one-and-done forward and No. 2 overall pick Brandon Ingram shined to the tune of a game-high 33 points, shooting 13-for-23 from the field, 3-for-5 from downtown, and 4-for-4 at the line. The 27-year-old from Kinston, N.C., added seven rebounds, two assists, two steals, and one block across his 31 minutes as a starter.
The Bulls employ one Duke basketball talent in 2020-21 one-and-done guard DJ Steward. However, the 23-year-old Chicago native is on a two-way contract and not currently on the squad’s regular season roster.
RELATED: List of Former Duke Players Currently in the NBA
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