The New Orleans Pelicans’ nightmare season just got even darker, with the franchise confirming that Zion Williamson has been diagnosed with a grade two right hip adductor strain and will miss “extended time.”
The team announced he will be re-evaluated in three weeks, though ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that the All-Star is expected to be out longer.
The New Orleans Pelicans announced today that Zion Williamson has been
diagnosed with a grade 2 right hip adductor strain. Medical imaging taken this morning confirmed the injury. Further updates will be provided as appropriate.— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) December 2, 2025
The Pelicans did not specify when the injury occurred. Williamson played Saturday against Golden State but did not suit up for Sunday’s game against the Lakers.
His absence now leaves the already-struggling Pelicans without their most impactful player during a season where stability has been nearly impossible to find.
New Orleans’ on-court numbers underline that drop-off, with the team being 9.8 points per 100 possessions better with Williamson on the court this season.
Through his ten appearances, the forward has averaged 21.1 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. But availability continues to be the issue that overshadows everything.
Williamson’s injury history is no secret, and this latest setback continues a troubling pattern.
He already missed eight games earlier in the season with a hamstring strain and has appeared in just five of the Pelicans’ last seven contests. Last year he played only 30 games, and he has surpassed 65 games just once in his previous six NBA seasons.
Complicating matters further, New Orleans sits at a league-worst 3-18 record and does not control its own first-round pick after trading it to Atlanta to move up for rookie Derik Queen. The margin for error was already microscopic, and losing Williamson for another lengthy stretch only tightens the squeeze.
Injuries have hit the entire roster, with Dejounte Murray (Achilles), Herbert Jones (calf), Trey Murphy III (elbow), and Jordan Poole (quad) all missing time.
READ MORE: Bulls Hold Internal Talks on Trading for Anthony Davis: Report
