Giannis to Zion Williamson After Pelicans Debut: 'Don't Rush the Process'

Giannis Antetokounmpo offered advice to Zion Williamson after the 2019 No. 1 overall pick made his debut for the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday night.

The Milwaukee Bucks star's message to Williamson: "Don't rush the process."

"You're going to be a beast; the whole league knows you're going to be a beast," Antetokounmpo told reporters. "Just take it step by step, day by day."

Fans were understandably disappointed that Williamson played only 18 minutes against the San Antonio Spurs. He exited with 5:23 remaining in the fourth quarter with the Pelicans behind 111-108 and didn't return as New Orleans lost 121-117.

The former Duke star was electric in his limited time on the court, finishing with 22 points and seven rebounds while making all four of his three-pointers.

Zion Williamson Scores 22 Points in His First Career NBA Game!

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"He wasn't happy about it," Pelicans head coach Alvin Gentry told reporters of Williamson regarding his fourth-quarter exit. "I don't think anyone would be happy about it. I ain't the brightest coach in the world, but I wasn't going to take him out in those situations unless I was told to."

Williamson told reporters he "[doesn't] want any restriction" but that he'll listen to what the team's doctors and trainers recommend.

The Pelicans probably would've managed Williamson's workload even if he hadn't torn his meniscus before the regular season. The Memphis Grizzlies are taking a proactive approach with fellow rookie Ja Morant, who's averaging 29.8 minutes per game.

Throw in Williamson's knee surgery, and it could be a while before he's treated like a regular member of the starting lineup.

The obvious question is how long the Pelicans plan on waiting before making that shift. They're four games back of the Spurs for the eighth seed in the Western Conference. The longer they restrict his minutes, the more they risk falling out of the playoff race altogether.