Zion Williamson can't say with certainty whether he'll play in the All-Star Game, but the honor of being named a starter certainly isn't lost on him.
This time last year he was out in Portland. Rumors were swirling about where he wanted to be. Zion himself admitted he was in a bad place mentally, and physically he was unable to get on a basketball court.
“It’s a feeling of, it’s an honor, being named an All-Star, being named a starter this time around," he said. "Especially after last year, this is crazy. This is really a crazy feeling for me.”
The honor is all the more impressive considering he made his impression while appearing in just 29 of the Pelicans' 49 games due to a handful of injuries, the most recent a hamstring issue that's kept him off the court for the past xxx games. Williamson says he's now "feeling great" and that rehab is progressing "extremely well," though he's still at least a week removed from a return. If he's healthy enough to get on the court for the All-Star game on Feb. 17, he fully intends to do so.
And Zion will be a welcome sight whenever that does happen, with the Pelicans scuffling to a 3-9 record without him and falling to No. 4 in the Western Conference. He's averaged 26 points, 7 rebounds and 4.6 assists so far this season, returning from a full year absence in 2021-'22.
It'll be Williamson's second All-Star appearance, but his first as a starter. He also edged out Anthony Davis to do it, with the five starters picked through an amalgamation of fan, player and media voting. The reserves will be announced on Feb. 2, with Giannis Antetokounmpo and LeBron James serving as captains and picking each team.
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Williamson said he was most honored by the support of his contemporaries around the league. But teammate Naji Marshall wasn't surprised, considering he's gone against Zion enough in practice to know what they're dealing with night in, night out.
“They know. … They’ve played against him and they understand what’s going on," Marshall said. "So I’m just proud of my guy and I’m happy for him. I don’t know if he’s playing or not, but if he does, hopefully he puts on a show.”