Sat Apr 05 04:40:00 UTC 2025: ## Pelicans’ Williamson and McCollum Out for the Season
**New Orleans, LA** – The New Orleans Pelicans announced Monday that star forward Zion Williamson and guard CJ McCollum will miss the remainder of the 2024-25 NBA season due to bone bruises. Williamson’s injury, a lower-back bruise suffered in March, marks another significant setback for the injury-prone 24-year-old, limiting him to 30 games or fewer for the fourth time in six seasons. McCollum’s right foot injury occurred during a March 23rd game.
Both players will undergo rest and treatment as part of their rehabilitation plans. The news comes a day after the Pelicans’ win over the Charlotte Hornets, a game both players missed.
Williamson, the number one overall pick in the 2019 NBA draft, had shown flashes of brilliance this season, recording two career triple-doubles before his latest injury. Despite his impressive scoring average of 24.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 5.3 assists, he has missed significantly more games (258) than he has played (214) throughout his career. ESPN Research highlighted his unique scoring prowess before his latest injury, noting that he is the only player to average at least 15 points in the paint while shooting 55% or better in each of their first five seasons since 1997-98.
McCollum, a two-time All-Star, also saw his season cut short. The Pelicans’ injury woes extend beyond this duo; Trey Murphy III (torn labrum) also missed the remainder of the season, leaving the team without three of its top scorers. The team’s struggles are highlighted by their 21-54 record, the fourth-worst in the NBA, and the staggering 41 different starting lineups utilized due to injuries to key players, including Dejounte Murray and Herbert Jones.
First Piper 