Zion Williamson returned to the NBA campus near Orlando and will quarantine there before joining his teammates, the New Orleans Pelicans announced Friday.
The Pelicans’ star forward left the team July 16 to deal with “an urgent family matter.” He was tested daily for the coronavirus while he was away, the team said, and every test came back negative.
Now, Williamson must quarantine for at least four days as long as he continues to post negative test results. There is a chance he could be back in time for the Pelicans’ restart to the regular season next Thursday against the Utah Jazz.
In 19 starts before the shutdown, Williamson averaged 23.6 points and 6.8 rebounds. He is the reigning No. 1 overall pick out of Duke.
“My family and I appreciate the love and respect that everyone showed us while we dealt with a private family matter,” Williamson said in a statement. “I’m excited to rejoin my team in Orlando and look forward to getting back on the court with my teammates after quarantine.”
At 28-36, New Orleans sits in 10th place in the Eastern Conference, 3 1/2 games behind the eighth-place Memphis Grizzlies.
