Zion Williamson, the no. 1 American born prospect in the class of 2018 and YouTube dunking sensation who has a cult following on social media, shocked the basketball world Saturday night when he selected to play Duke over Clemson. The other finalists were South Carolina, North Carolina, Kansas and Kentucky.
The 6-6, 270-pound forward, who has a combination of size and superb athleticism, made his announcement at 8:15 p.m. in a packed gym at Spartanburg, S.C. Christian Academy while a national audience watching on ESPN2.
Williamson has a huge social media presence on Instagram, where Drake is one of his million-plus followers. His “House of Highlights” mixtape and YouTube video have racked up millions of page views. From that standpoint, he is the closest thing we have seen to LeBron James in high school.
Most national scouting reports and even his stepfather Lee Anderson who attended Clemson, felt Williamson would stay local and was leaning heavily toward the Tigers, who were the first school to recruit him. “Clemson lost a mile and a half lead,” Anderson claimed.
Duke had been considered a long shot heading into the final week. But maybe we shouldn’t have been so surprised.
Duke has become a huge magnet for the best players in the country over the last decade and in the past two years has replaced Kentucky as the school that is most attractive to potential one and dones. In each of the last two years alone, Mike Krzyzewski has signed four Top 10 prospects apiece.
This year alone, he has signed the top three prospects in this year’s class, 6-8 forward RJ Barrett from Toronto and Montverde Academy (FL), Williamson and 6-7 wing Cam Reddish of the Westtown School (PA). The Devils have also signed the No. 8 prospect, point guard Tre Jones of Apple Valley, Minnesota.
Krzyzewski has replaced John Calipari of Kentucky as the most effective recruiter in the country. For the fourth time in the last five years, the Blue Devils will have the top recruiting class in the country. Krzyzewski began getting involved with one and dones on a consistent basis when he signed Kyrie Irving and Jabari Parker, but he went all in in 2004 when he signed center Jahlil Okafor, Tyus Jones and Justice Winslow in 2014 who led Duke to a national championship the following years before leaving for the NBA
This spring, Krzyzewski may have to replace his entire starting lineup, senior guard Grayson Allen and four blue chip freshmen, forwards Marvin Bagley III and Wendell Carter Jr. and guards Trevon Duval and Gary Trent Jr.
All four incoming recruits for next year are expected to become starters who are high level playmakers.
