The 2019 NBA draft No 1 pick will have to quarantine for at least four days
Saturday 25 July 2020 08:20, UK
Zion Williamson has returned to the NBA complex near Orlando and will quarantine there before re-joining his New Orleans Pelicans team-mates, it was announced on Friday.
The Pelicans' star forward left the team on July 16 to deal with "an urgent family matter."
The team have confirmed he was tested daily for coronavirus while he was away, and every test came back negative.
Williamson must now quarantine for at least four days as long as he continues to post negative test results.
He could yet be back in time for the Pelicans' regular season restart on Thursday against the Utah Jazz.
It will be New Orleans' first game since beating the Minnesota Timberwolves 120-107 on March 8 before the NBA was suspended.
In 19 starts before the shutdown, number one overall pick Williamson averaged 23.6 points and 6.8 rebounds.
"My family and I appreciate the love and respect that everyone showed us while we dealt with a private family matter," Williamson said in a statement.
"I'm excited to re-join my team in Orlando and look forward to getting back on the court with my teammates after quarantine."
At 28-36, New Orleans sit in 10th place in the Eastern Conference, three-and-a-half games behind the eighth-place Memphis Grizzlies.
