Zion Williamson’s Health Update: Ready for a Bounce-Back Season?

By Edcel Panganiban July 24, 2025 12:25

Zion Williamson’s health has been the elephant in the room for the New Orleans Pelicans throughout the 2024-25 NBA season, and now as he approaches the 2025-26 campaign, questions abound about his readiness for a bounce-back year. After being shut down in late March due to a bone contusion in his lower back, Williamson ended the season having played only 30 games—continuing a frustrating pattern of limited availability across his six-year NBA career.

At just 24 years old, Williamson remains one of the most physically gifted and impactful players in the league when on the floor. His offensive efficiency is undeniable; despite the limited minutes, he averaged a stellar 24.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game on 56.7% shooting for the 2024-25 season. When healthy, Williamson's per-minute production is elite, as his coach Willie Green noted, citing career highs in scoring (31.0 points per 36 minutes), rebounding (9.1 per 36), assists (6.7), blocks (1.1), and steals (1.6).

The Pelicans’ decision to cut his season short was a precautionary move to preserve his long-term health after recurring injuries, particularly the recent back contusion. The team’s official stance is clear: getting Zion back to full health for the next season is the priority. Williamson himself communicated optimism about his physical condition during his return to play in early 2025, mentioning to reporters that he was “in a good spot in terms of health” and focusing diligently on conditioning to reach and sustain peak form.

Most impressively, by midseason, Williamson was outperforming many of his contemporaries on a per-minute basis despite playing fewer minutes as part of a load management strategy. He expressed a willingness to play heavier minutes and back-to-back games but acknowledged that the team’s cautious monitoring of his workload was necessary given his injury history.

An important development since the season’s end is Williamson’s significant weight loss and fitness transformation, which was widely reported in July 2025. This improved conditioning aims to alleviate strain on his body and reduce future injury risk, providing hope that he can maintain greater durability moving forward. Coupled with modern medical care and advances in sports science, this renewed physical state may be vital to extending his career longevity.

The burning question for Pelicans fans and NBA observers alike is whether Zion Williamson can put together a full, healthy season in 2025-26 and lead New Orleans back into playoff contention. The team, currently rebuilding around him and fellow star Brandon Ingram, are counting on Williamson’s high-impact presence. Given his contract is fully guaranteed for the upcoming year, the financial and strategic stakes are high.

Coach Willie Green has been optimistic yet measured, emphasizing the importance of continued commitment to health and conditioning during the offseason. “He knows it. It’s something he’s got to stay committed to,” Green said recently, highlighting that Williamson’s availability will be crucial to the Pelicans’ future.

In sum, Zion Williamson enters the 2025-26 season with both tremendous upside and significant health questions. If he can maintain the level of conditioning and manage workload carefully, the Pelicans’ dynamic forward has the talent and efficiency to not only bounce back but become the franchise centerpiece New Orleans envisioned when drafting him with the first overall pick in 2019. His health will dictate whether his immense potential can finally translate into sustained success on the court.