Zion Williamson may not be the No. 1 prospect in the high school Class of 2018 but he is, by far, the most famous. The 6’6 senior from Spartanburg Day School (S.C.) is a legitimate household name in basketball circles as a result of his jarringly impressive dunks, and most recruiting services regard him as a top-three player nationally.
On Saturday evening, Williamson made his much anticipated college commitment, with contenders rumored to include blue blood programs like Duke, Kentucky, Kansas, North Carolina and in-state schools in Clemson and South Carolina.
At the end of a long and interesting recruiting cycle, though, Williamson pulled the trigger and will be part of an all-time great recruiting class at Duke University. The other two consensus top-3 players in the class — a pair of perimeter players in R.J. Barrett and Cameron Reddish — are also committed to the Blue Devils, as is 5-star point guard Tre Jones.
Unlike the typical top-five prospect, there is some concern about Williamson’s translation to the college game. He is an explosive athlete (as evidenced by his highlight reel) but, at just 6’6 and listed at more than 270 pounds, Williamson doesn’t profile perfectly into the mold of a specific position at the NBA level and that could be something of a hiccup in the college game also.
Still, there was no shortage of interest from the best of the best in the college basketball world. Williamson is one of the most fascinating players in the nation, and he’ll get the opportunity to show what he can do alongside Barrett, Reddish, and Jones on what should be one of the best teams in the nation next year.
