Duke basketball icon will be absent from NBA All-Star Weekend

Duke basketball icon Zion Williamson will not participate in NBA All-Star Weekend. 

The latest injury to Duke basketball superstar Zion Williamson is lingering longer than many had expected.

Williamson suffered a hamstring injury on January 2 and has not played since for the New Orleans Pelicans and does not look like he will be back on the floor anytime soon.

ESPN Pelicans reporter Andrew Lopez reported on Wednesday that Williamson has been ruled out of the next three games for New Orleans and also will not participate in the NBA All-Star Game next Sunday.

The former Blue Devil was named as a starter in the midseason exhibition after averaging 26.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game this season in just 29 games played.

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Zion Williamson was also named as an All-Star in 2021 but was selected to the game as a reserve.

Williamson was set to join former Duke players Jayson Tatum and Kyrie Irving, who was initially selected to the game as a member of the Brooklyn Nets before being traded to the Dallas Mavericks, as All-Star starters.

New Orleans Pelicans struggling without Duke basketball superstar

It’s very clear that the New Orleans Pelicans need Zion Williamson on the floor in order to be successful this season.

New Orleans is 17-12 with Williamson available but just 12-15 when he is inactive.

Former Blue Devil Brandon Ingram made his return to the court in late January after missing two months with a toe injury.

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Ingram, an All-Star in 2020, is averaging  21.6 points per contest in just 21 games this season.

The Western Conference, because of moves made at the NBA Trading Deadline, has suddenly become dominant and the New Orleans Pelicans currently reside as the No. 7 seed, the top spot in the Play-In Tournament, but just four games in the loss column separate seeds No. 4 through No. 12.