Zion Williamson makes his first NBA debut after hurting his right hamstring in January

In the Orlando Magic’s 122-105 preseason opening against the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday night, Zion Williamson scored 12 points, five rebounds, and five assists in 16 minutes.

It was Williamson’s first game appearance since injuring his right hamstring in Philadelphia in January. He got his first points on a crowd-pleasing two-handed slam after missing his first two attempts. Along with four free throws, he subsequently added a 13-foot running floater, a quick turnaround, and a layup.

“He appeared to be in good shape. He’s unbeatable. So he’s going to do whatever he wants on the court. It’s just a question of getting our spacing correct, playing at the appropriate speed and tempo, getting stops, and getting out and sprinting,” teammate CJ McCollum explained. “However, he’ll figure it out.” He’s going to be prosperous. “All we have to do now is keep pushing the pace.”

“Obviously, we want to be able to play our best players every night, and this is a step in that direction.” And it’s a chance for the fans to witness the work that he’s put in – the work that we’ve all put in to strive to be better this season.”

The starting from Orlando played the first few minutes of the second half. In 19 minutes, Wendell Carter Jr. scored 18 points. Paolo Banchero had 12 points, including a driving, one-handed slam over Williamson and Pelicans center Jonas Valanciunas. In 20 minutes, Banchero also snagged six rebounds.

Jett Howard (son of Michigan coach Juwan Howard) scored eight points for the Magic, while No. 6 Anthony Black added two. Prior to the game, Magic coach Jamahl Mosley stated that Joe Ingles would get a veteran night off.

Jordan Hawkins (UConn), the 14th overall selection this summer, hit his first 3-point attempt and finished with nine points on 4-of-14 shooting. Former Ohio State standout E.J. Liddell, who was the Pelicans’ second-round choice in 2022 but missed his whole rookie season due to a significant knee injury, played 17 minutes and scored two points.

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