Duke Basketball: What the addition of Zion Williamson means

Duke basketball has become a top destination for recruits in recent years. The Blue Devils just added another dominant force in the form of Zion Williamson.

Over the past several years, Coach Mike Krzyzewski has made Duke basketball the premier destination for the top high school recruits in the entire nation. In each of the past four years, the Blue Devils’ recruiting classes have ranked in the top-two nationally. The only program in the nation who has been able to keep up with the ACC powerhouse has been Kentucky. This year, though, even the Wildcats will be unable to keep up with the Blue Devils.

On Jan. 20, the No. 3 recruit for the class of 2018, Zion Williamson, committed to Duke. This alone would make for one of the top classes in the country but he is just the tip of the iceberg. Along with Williamson, Duke also has the three other top-10 recruits in the nation signed. Including in these three are the only two players to be ranked higher than Williamson in the 247Sports rankings.

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With this class, it is all but assured that Duke will be a top-5 preseason team in the nation once again next season. The Blue Devils are going to be just as talented as they are this year and this class is already practically locked in as the top in the country. Coach K will once again have some of the best players in the country on his squad and the expectations will be sky high.

Williamson chose the Blue Devils over his two local schools, Clemson and South Carolina. He was also heavily recruited by Kentucky, North Carolina, and Kansas.

Williamson represents one of the most exciting players in all of high school basketball. The young star has made headlines across the country for the past year because of his high-flying blocks and dunks. He is incredibly athletic and a threat to break out for a 30+ point performance or lockdown an opposing player.

At 6’6″, 275 pounds, Williamson is well-built and can play inside and out. His versatility will be welcomed in Durham next season as he can play any number of positions. In addition to being one of the most talented high school seniors, Williamson’s athleticism has drawn googly-eyes from the general public and the NBA scouts.

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It is likely that Williamson will be hearing his name called in the top-5 of the 2019 NBA Draft in a little over a year from now. This one-and-done talent will have high expectations in his time at Duke. The Blue Devils are one of the most consistent programs in the entire nation and this is a great choice for a young star. He will be following in the footsteps of several other top freshmen who have gone to Duke and succeeded.

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