Duke basketball: Perfect timing for Zion Williamson’s return to NBA bubble

A Duke basketball legend arrives back in the bubble with two days to spare.

Back. Possibly better than ever. Eight days after exiting the NBA bubble due to an undisclosed urgent matter, former Duke basketball one-and-done Zion Williamson landed back in Orlando on Friday night. Per a Saturday morning tweet from Stadium insider Shams Charania, the arrival gives the New Orleans Pelicans rookie ample time to regain eligibility for the first game of the resumed regular season:

“Pelicans forward Zion Williamson will have a four-day quarantine that began on Friday, NBA says. He is set to be cleared to rejoin Pelicans ahead of Thursday’s opener against Utah.”

Pictures prior to his departure point to his tip-top shape. So fans should expect to see a healthy, ripped, fully charged Williamson against the Jazz (Thursday, 6:30 p.m., ESPN) and for the Pelicans’ other seven games before the playoffs begin on August 17 (at 28-36, New Orleans must make up 3.5 games on the 32-33, eighth-place Memphis Grizzlies in the Western Conference standings to receive an invite).

Assuming all is well between the ears for the 2019 NBA Draft’s No. 1 pick — Williamson only noted that a family medical emergency was his reason for departing — his absence could work in the favor of New Orleans.

After all, as a Blue Devil returning from an infamous shoe-explosion injury and as a Pelican debuting in January after knee surgery, Williamson has shown to be rust-proof.

Following the knee sprain at Duke, which kept him out for two weeks, Williamson tallied 29 points, 14 rebounds, and five steals while going 13-for-13 from the field in an ACC Tournament win over Syracuse.

In Williamson’s first game as a pro, after almost falling asleep on the bench in the weeks leading up, the 6-foot-6, 285-pound power forward put the NBA on notice with 22 points (largely a result of a 4-for-4 clip from deep) and seven boards in only 18 minutes against the San Antonio Spurs.

Extra opportunities for other Duke basketball products

Plus, in Williamson’s absence this time around, New Orleans forward and fellow former Blue Devil Brandon Ingram had a brief opportunity to redisplay his All-Star gleam with 12 points on 4-for-7 shooting in only 11 minutes during a scrimmage blowout over the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday.

ALSO READ: Brandon Ingram unmatched in NBA in one regard

Also, with no Williamson in the lineup, several of the squad’s role players — including Dukies JJ Redick, Frank Jackson, and Jahlil Okafor — might have seen more run than they would have otherwise. That could again be the case when the Pelicans scrimmage the Denver Nuggets at 8:30 p.m. Saturday and then the Milwaukee Bucks at 8 p.m. Monday.

Finally, the NBA must be breathing a sigh of relief to have Zion Williamson — aka the 20-year-old main attraction who is averaging 23.6 points and 6.8 rebounds in only 19 outings this year — back in town and presumably ready to fly.

Stay tuned to Ball Durham for more on Zion Williamson plus other news and views regarding all things Duke basketball.