NBA 2020: ‘Ridiculous’ Zion Williamson snub as Jazz beat Pelicans

NBA fans couldn’t believe their eyes as the season restarted in Orlando with a puzzling snub of one of the league’s brightest talents.

Zion was stuck on the bench when his team needed him most.

Zion Williamson is in danger of becoming a meme after watching from the bench as his New Orleans Pelicans suffered a two-point loss to Utah Jazz in the NBA’s first game back since suspending the season in March.

Coronavirus put the league on hold for more than four months but teams are back competing in Orlando at the Disney World “bubble” and it didn’t take long for fans to sink their teeth into a major talking point.

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Utah beat New Orleans 106-104, thanks to two free throws from Rudy Gobert with six seconds left. Ironically, the Jazz centre was the first NBA player to test positive and it was his case that prompted the league to shut things down.

But the biggest drama was served up by the Pelicans, who left Williamson — their best player — on the bench with the game on the line as the fourth quarter wound down.

The 2019 No. 1 draft pick — a college superstar touted for NBA greatness because of his freakish combination of size, strength and speed — played only 15 minutes as New Orleans put a limit on how long he could spend on the floor.

Williamson missed much of the season before the COVID-19 shutdown with a knee injury and the Pelicans are keen to wrap him in cotton wool rather than risk further damage.

Speaking after the match, Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry said he “wished we could have used him down the stretch” but he didn’t want to go against the medical team’s advice.

Social media went into overdrive as Williamson remained on the bench, gobsmacked the Pelicans wouldn’t budge on their stance even when the game was there to be won. Adding to the mystery is New Orleans (28-37) essentially needs to win every remaining game to have a shot at making the playoffs.

NBA writer Kevin O’Connor led the outrage over Williamson’s snub.

Blows my mind how the Pelicans had a minutes limit for Zion yet none of those minutes include the final three minutes. They had a winnable game and they completely blew it.

— Kevin O'Connor (@KevinOConnorNBA) July 31, 2020

It's ridiculous. I get Pelicans want to ease Zion back and be as safe as possible, truly. But with that in mind, how do you not plan to have one of those "short bursts" be the final three minutes of the game? Use it if it's close. Keep him off the bench if it's not.

— Kevin O'Connor (@KevinOConnorNBA) July 31, 2020

Criminal that Zion wasn’t playing down the stretch for New Orleans.

— Anthony Romano (@ARomanoWDBJ) July 31, 2020

Why wasn’t Zion playing? I’m so confused. Fighting for a playoff spot.

— B. Harris (@B6Harris) July 31, 2020

Can someone explain why Zion Williamson is on the bench in a one-possession game with less than 1 minute left? #NBA #NBAonTNT #NBATwitter

— Mark Bergin (@mdbergin) July 31, 2020

Williamson finished with 13 points and one assist from his short stint as the Pelicans let slip a 16-point lead.

Jordan Clarkson drained 23 points for Utah off the bench while Donovan Mitchell and Mike Conley both finished with 20 points.

Aussie Joe Ingles also impressed in his return to the court, going four-from-seven from the field as he racked up 13 points to go with three rebounds and two assists.

Williamson’s impact was short and sweet.