The Zion Effect is about to takeover the NBA.
The inevitable occured today as Duke freshman Zion Williamson officially declared for the NBA Draft, erasing any mystery about who the No. 1 overall pick will be on June 20th. The 6-foot-7 Williamson captivated the sports world with his talent, freakish athleticism and personality. His transcending presence generated millions of dollars for Duke, the NCAA . The TV stations that carried his games experienced record ratings, especially during the NCAA Tournament.
Sports Illustrated on Twitter
After taking college hoops by storm, Zion is going pro https://t.co/s2zaUxqWBJ
Williamson, who announced the decision Monday in an Instagram post, is aiming to become the fourth Blue Devil to be taken with the first overall selection alongside Art Heyman, Elton Brand, and Kyrie Irving.
?Thank you Duke?#thebrotherhood
263.6k Likes, 6,334 Comments – Zion Williamson (@zionlw10) on Instagram: “?Thank you Duke?#thebrotherhood”
Zion swept the postseason awards and after bagging ACC Player and Rookie of the Year honors, the Spartanburg, S.C., native also earned a crop of national player of the year awards. The “8th Wonder of The World” averaged 22.6 points and 8.9 rebounds per game on 68 percent shooting from the field.
Zion’s freshman-filled Duke’s team was unceremoniously upset in the Elite 8, but his shining moment came earlier in the season when his Nike sneaker exploded in a game causing injury. Instead of sitting out the remainder of the season and protecting the millions he’s sure to make in the NBA, Zion returned to lead his college squad back into March Madness, cementing his spot as a world celebrity and fan favorite.
Austin F on Twitter
BREAKING: Duke basketball star Zion Williamson declares for the NBA draft but says he only wants to be drafted by the Bulls. If any other team takes him he says he will quit the sport of basketball to sign as a free agent with the #Bears. https://t.co/k3SNjJ1dIk
With a major sneaker deal on the horizon and an NBA marketing machine that is sure to immediately adopt him as a favorite son, the future is bright for Williamson. The only question now is will he end up on the New York Knicks.
