Zion Williamson has remained one of the best players in the league when he is completely fit and healthy. However, Zion’s career has largely been affected by series of injuries. The New Orleans Pelicans big man has entered the 2023-24 season free from injuries and has been hitting the court running like he usually does whenever he’s fine.
Zion Williamson has been performing well for the Pelicans in the matches he’s played. However, he will leave a void in the team as he is set to miss the Pelicans matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves, which left fans and enthusiasts curious about why he didn’t feature in the game.
Zion Williamson misses Timberwolves game due to special occasion
The Minnesota Timberwolves are set to take on the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday night, and they’ll start without Zion Williamson. The Pelicans have cited personal reasons for his absence, but speculation points to the upcoming birth of his daughter, as mentioned during Pelicans’ Media Day in November.
However, Legion Hoops tweeted a report of Zion Williamson’s absence addressing, “Zion Williamson is expected to miss tonight’s game vs. Timberwolves to welcome his newborn baby girl into the world.”
In addition to Zion, the Pelicans will be missing CJ McCollum, Naji Marshall, Jose Alvarado, and Trey Murphy III, all recovering from injuries. Herb Jones is listed as questionable after injuring his fibula in Monday’s loss to the Nuggets.
Facing the NBA’s top-ranked defense in Minnesota, the Pelicans will encounter a tough challenge without Zion Williamson. The Timberwolves boast the best defense in opponents’ points per game and field goal percentage.
Zion, with an average of 21.8 points and seven rebounds on 50.5% shooting, had a standout performance with a career-high 42 points in his last game against Minnesota last season. Following the game against the Timberwolves, the Pelicans will continue their road trip to face the Houston Rockets on Friday, Nov. 10.
Zion’s turbulent off-season involving Moriah Mills
Zion Williamson’s offseason has been marked with controversies, especially concerning his involvement with Moriah Mills, a Porn star. Over a span of a few weeks, Mills made various statements about Zion and even shared private messages between them.
Despite the negative impact on his image from Mills’ earlier revelations, her recent video takes a more serious turn. Mills has publicly accused Williamson of being involved in domestic violence and claims that he attempted to silence her by offering hush money.
“He knows… He said he’d send me $62,000, I’ve yet to receive that since June. I’m literally here, like, he’s literally a liar. You guys, everything he says, he’s a liar. He’s not who he says he is. I have literally been saving face.”
She continued saying, “He is a woman beater and the NBA needs to know this. I literally did not want to come to this because I know he has so many endorsements. But Zion Williamson is a woman beater. And the reason he was paying me off was so that I wouldn’t come to the world and tell everybody.”
The video was posted on TikTok and quickly gained traction on social media. While Moriah Mills had previously engaged in defamatory remarks, these new allegations are significant and warrant thorough investigation. The actual events remain uncertain, but if proven true, it would undoubtedly cast a shadow on Zion Williamson’s reputation.
