OT: Zion Williamson leaves game after 34sec due to knee injury caused by shoe malfunction

Submitted by WichitanWolverine on February 20th, 2019 at 10:26 PM

Title says it all. UNC currently blowing Duke out also.

 

 

stephenrjking

February 21st, 2019 at 12:16 AM ^

Actually an interesting question. Williamson is already almost unquestionably the recipient of significant Nike cash; one of the reasons Nike likes to get guys into their schools (and that Nike and Adidas both throw money around like candy in AAU) is that they like to get guys on their "track" early to get better chances at signing them. Williamson, playing for Duke, is kinda sorta under Nike "control" right now and that gives them a good chance to sign him to the big deal later on.

Money is important, of course, but there's more to it than that. Players care about how they will be marketed, what kind of role they'll have, that kind of thing. I recall reading that Steph Curry signed with Under Armour in part because of stuff like that and the relationship he felt he would have with the management. 

I imagine NIke will have guys on the ground in Durham by tomorrow; nominally to work with the athletic department, but in large part to show Williamson and guys like Barrett and Reddish that they care and that they are a good choice later on.

It's more than just one bad shoe, but how they respond to that one bad shoe will mean a lot. I would think. 

mobablue

February 20th, 2019 at 10:52 PM ^

Hope it's a sprain, and hope he had insurance. He should sit the rest of the year. Barring a catastrophic injury he's a top lottery pick lock at this point. 

Chalky White

February 21st, 2019 at 9:11 AM ^

This was a topic on the radio a couple of weeks ago. They discussed whether or not Zion should sit the rest of the season and sign an agent. At first I thought that was crazy to even bring up. If you are the consensus #1 pick, I can't be mad if he sits out to avoid injury. Why risk it for a coach who makes $10M/yr?

KBLOW

February 20th, 2019 at 11:29 PM ^

So the supposed #1 team loses one 5-star out of 6 on the team and the team falls apart? At home? Zion might be the best player on Duke or even the entire NCAA, but a team with that much talent demonstrated how mentally weak they are and how overrated Coach K is.

 

footballguy

February 20th, 2019 at 11:42 PM ^

Coach K is not overrated. He is accurately rated as one of the greatest of all time.

I hate Duke more than any other team, but there's no way a guy with as many accomplishments as him is overrated. It's just not possible.

And yeah, they may be mentally weak. All of their contributors are 18 years old.