The New Orleans Pelicans season got off to such a strong start this year. In December, the Pels were actually at the top of the Western Conference.
Zion Williamson looked like a potential MVP candidate. He was literally bullying teams and was just straight up disrespectful with some of his dunks. New Orleans was riding high on all of this excitement.
But then Zion got hurt. He had a hamstring injury that kept him out for a few weeks. Then he re-aggravated it and it kept him out even longer.
Now, we’re here. The Pelicans have been booted back into the lottery with Williamson watching as the Thunder eliminated New Orleans from the NBA play-in tournament.
And it wouldn’t be the Pelicans if it didn’t come without some sort of controversy.
Before the game, video of Williamson dunking during warm-ups surfaced on social media.
Zion throws it down in warm-ups đź‘€
He is unavailable for the play-in tournament. pic.twitter.com/s9mitgYRVT
— ESPN (@espn) April 13, 2023
Now couple that with quotes from Williamson saying that he is, indeed, physically ready to return to play but not quite there mentally, per the Associated Press.
“I can pretty much do everything, but it’s just a matter of the level that I was playing at before my hamstring,” Williamson continued. “I don’t want to go out there and be in my own head and affect the team when I can just be on the sideline supporting them more, because I know myself. If I was to go out there, I would be in my head. I would hesitate on certain moves and it could affect the game.”
That’s reasonable, right? Williamson has been on the sideline since January because of his hamstring issue. He’s working his way back into playing shape. So, naturally, in the Pelicans’ biggest game of the season, it stands within reason that Williamson wouldn’t want to return and mess things up.
But no. Fans, media and everyone else didn’t take it that way. Instead, they went in on him for somehow not being there for his team. Some even called for Williamson to be traded.