New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson was rendered helpless on the sidelines as he watched his team get swept by the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder over the past two weeks. With the Pelicans officially eliminated from the 2024 NBA Playoffs, a brutal trend involving Williamson remains intact.
The Pelicans on Monday lost 97-89 in Game 4 of the Western Conference first-round series against the Thunder at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, La. OKC swept the home team in what turned into a historic Thunder record in more ways than one.
Brutal Zion Williamson Stat Stays Alive Amid New Orleans Pelicans’ First-Round Exit
Williamson was absolutely dominant during the Pelicans’ play-in tournament matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers just a few weeks back. He posted 40 points before coming up gimpy with an untimely injury that kept him out of the first-round matchup against the Thunder.
But the play-in doesn’t officially count as a playoff game. The stats from those contests simply disappear into the basketball ether. In five seasons in the NBA, Williamson has yet to play in a single playoff game. This season appeared to be his best chance at doing so before his team fell into the play-in during the regular season’s final week.
Williamson’s lack of playoff experience stunningly makes him the only 2019 NBA lottery pick that has yet to make the playoffs (H/T NBA Reddit u/iksnet). Here’s the list if you want to see for yourself. Five of the 14 lottery selections — Darius Garland, Jaxson Hayes, Rui Hachimura, PJ Washington, and Tyler Herro — have played in this year’s playoffs.
Six more in Ja Morant, RJ Barrett, De’Andre Hunter, Cam Reddish, Coby White, and Cam Johnson have played key roles on playoff teams in the past. Even Romeo Langford and Jarrett Culver — both currently in the G League — have logged playoff minutes.
Williamson is the first overall pick and lone member of the 2019 NBA Draft lottery class that has yet to suit up for the playoffs. Williamson is clearly one of the two best players among the players listed. But the Pelicans star just can’t seem to stay healthy. Perhaps the sixth time will be the charm for the Duke product.