Zion Williamson Faces One-Game Suspension for Repeated Tardiness

The New Orleans Pelicans have suspended power forward Zion Williamson for Friday night’s game against the Philadelphia 76ers due to a breach of team policies.

Williamson has consistently been late to multiple team practices or flights this season, resulting in this one-game ban.

Coach Willie Green stated, “There were several occasions that led up to this and that’s how we got to this decision,” before the game against the 76ers.

Since being drafted first overall out of Duke in 2019, Williamson has encountered various injuries, resulting in more games missed than played. This season, he has been in only seven of the Pelicans’ 38 games, and the team has a poor record of 2-5 when he plays and 5-26 without him.

In a statement to team owner Gayle Benson and the entire organization, Williamson expressed regret for his actions:

“I take full responsibility for this suspension. I’ve worked extremely hard in rehab to get healthy to deliver for this team. There is no excuse for being late to team activities. I have apologized to Mrs. Benson and my teammates and coaches and I also owe an apology to the fans. I can and will be better as a teammate and member of this organization.”

Williamson’s recent performance included an impressive dunk against Minnesota, showcasing his talent after returning from a lengthy injury absence, but now he will miss the next game against the 76ers due to this suspension. Speaking about the importance of meeting team standards, David Griffin, Pelicans’ executive vice president, mentioned, “This one-game suspension is a result of failing to meet our team standards. His dedication to this organization is of paramount significance to us and to him.”

Additionally, the Pelicans must play without talented forward Herb Jones, who is sidelined indefinitely due to a shoulder injury sustained in an earlier game. Jones has previously missed 18 games this season due to the same injury before returning to start 16 consecutive games.

To stay updated on this developing story, you can follow the Pelicans’ next game on Sunday against Boston.