Zion Williamson Out for Pelicans vs. Magic with Hamstring Injury

Zion Williamson's career has been defined by injuries, and he's now dealing with a new one.

The New Orleans Pelicans superstar will sit out Friday night's game against the Orlando Magic with left hamstring tightness, the team announced.

Williamson, 24, missed the first game of the 2024-25 season due to an illness.

He also sat out games on Sunday and Monday due to hamstring issues but played in Wednesday's loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

That missed time marked a disappointing start to an important season for the high-flying forward. The 2023-24 season was his healthiest campaign, as he set a career-high with 70 games played, though his 22.9 points per game were his lowest mark since his rookie season.

Nonetheless, a largely healthy Williamson helped New Orleans reach the Play-In Tournament. And that's when the injury bug bit again.

The superstar suffered a left hamstring strain with just minutes remaining in the team's 110-106 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers in their first Play-In matchup, ending an impressive performance that saw him put up 40 points.

He then missed the team's next game, in which New Orleans saved its season by beating the Sacramento Kings to earn the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference Playoffs, and the entirety of the team's four-game sweep at the hands of the Oklahoma City Thunder in the opening round.

The Pelicans retooled the roster around him in the summer, adding Dejounte Murray to a core that also included Brandon Ingram, CJ McCollum and Herb Jones. There's no doubt the Pelicans have talent, but they will only go as far as Williamson can take them.

And that won't be very far if he struggles again this season to remain on the court.