Report: Zion Williamson Interested in 2020 NBA Rising Stars Game After Injury

New Orleans Pelicans prized rookie Zion Williamson is reportedly "interested" in taking part in the 2020 NBA Rising Stars Game during All-Star Weekend in February.

ESPN's Marc J. Spears reported the update Tuesday with the league set to announce the game's rosters Friday at 12 p.m. ET.

Even if Williamson would like to play, the bigger question is whether the Pelicans would feel comfortable with him participating in an exhibition game after taking the cautious route with his recovery since he underwent knee surgery in October.

The 19-year-old Duke product has been terrific since making his NBA debut last Wednesday against the San Antonio Spurs. He's averaged 19.3 points, 8.0 rebounds and 1.7 assists while shooting 66.7 percent from the field across three appearances.

His minutes have steadily rose over the games. He played 18 in a loss to the Spurs, 21 in a loss to the Denver Nuggets and 27 in a victory over the Boston Celtics.

"I was very anxious, but it was tough watching from the sideline in the fourth quarter in the last two games," Williamson told reporters Sunday. "But it was good to finally get out there, and it was good to get my first win."

The sample size remains small, but the early returns suggest the hype surrounding Zion is legitimate. He's often been the best player on the floor during his first few games, including in the fourth quarter of the clashes against the Spurs and Celtics.

Now, the question is whether he can lead New Orleans on a surge into the playoffs during the second half of the regular season. The Pelicans are currently 4.5 games behind the Memphis Grizzlies for the final Western Conference berth.

The Pelicans' schedule could work in his favor if he wants to at least make a cameo appearance in the Rising Stars Game. While they play two games in three days before the All-Star break, they don't return to action until the following Friday, so he'd still have six days off.

One thing's for sure: Williamson's presence would provide a massive boost to the Feb. 14 event.