WATCH: Zion Williamson drops 22 in return from injury in Pelicans defeat

Zion Williamson had only played in five games this 2024-25 season before he fell to injury, leaving his Pelicans short handed over 27-straight matches. The power forward is not only back, but he did in spectacular fashion, even producing a breakaway dunk in which he rotated 360 degrees in the air. 

The entire crowd went nuts over his powerful slam, which symbolically announced that nothing has changed and he’s the same Zion we’ve alway known. “The dunk was crazy just knowing how long he’s been out and to see that he could still do that,” said his teammate guard Dejounte Murray. “I’m glad he played with the confidence and the joy.”

Even though New Orleans lost 104-97 to Minnesota on Tuesday night, watching the 24-year-old attempts this dunk in his first game back from left hamstring strain gave life back to Pelicans fans, as the team currently sit at the bottom of the NBA standings.

Williamson scored 22 points in just under 28 minutes. “I definitely feel like my legs are already under me,” he told the press postgame. “The focus I had during this rehab was a bit more extreme. I feel like I didn’t even miss a beat, but gained a beat.”

The young star also contributed with 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals and even one block over Timberwolves big man Rudy Gobert. With a couple of minutes on the court, he excited the audience with a two-handed dunk after an alley-oop lob from teammate CJ McCullom.

“It’s incredible, his ability to impact the basketball game when he’s on the floor,” shared his coach Willie Green. “He had a little bit of rust, but that’s as good as I’ve seen him after being out for as long as he’s been. It’s a credit to Zion, the work that he’s been putting in.”

Even though the New Orleans tactician revealed that Zion’s minutes restriction was “roughly” about the time he expected him to play, he opted for inserting him in the starting lineup which included Murray. This was the first time both of them played together.

In Williamson’s six games so far this campaign, he’s currently averaging averaging 22.7 points, 8.0 rebounds and 5.3 assists. The first overall pick out of Duke in the 2019 NBA draft saw his team go 5-25 without him in the past couple of months.