PORTLAND, Ore. — On Friday evening, Zion Williamson, forward for the New Orleans Pelicans, returned to action against the Portland Trail Blazers after sitting out the team’s season opener.

Last season, Williamson made headlines by averaging 22.9 points per contest. However, he was unable to participate in the Pelicans’ game against the Chicago Bulls earlier in the week due to an undisclosed illness.

Pelicans head coach Willie Green expressed his enthusiasm regarding Williamson’s return. “Getting him back is incredibly important for us,” Green stated prior to the match against the Blazers. “He’s thrilled to be back, and there’s a lot of excitement within our team to hit the court tonight and compete.”

Despite his return, Williamson will be subject to a minutes limitation during the game.

“It won’t be at full capacity, but we’ll assess how he’s feeling once he’s out there,” Green added.

At 6 feet 6 inches tall, Williamson was chosen as the first pick in the 2019 NBA Draft out of Duke. Last season marked a notable improvement in his consistency, as he participated in a career-high 70 games. Unfortunately, injuries have caused him to miss a total of 207 games throughout his career.