Mt. Zion needs to put things in perspective

Zion Williamson tweaked his knee last week in a game against UNC when his Nike sneakers, which are manufactured in China by people who very likely have never seen a physical specimen like Zion before, has caused an uproar among the bobble heads in the media. Should the presumptive #1 pick in the NBA just sit out the rest of the year or return to the Dukies for the tournaments? Once again the Bozos have to give you the straight talk that nobody else dares to offer.

Zion is being compared to LeBron James as the next prodigy to come to the NBA. There is only one problem; his game is not even close to James at the same age and I think people are in for a shock. Just because he is 6’7” and has upper body strength like James, that does not make him a proper player to compare him to. Quite frankly, at this point I think he is more Sir Charles Barkley than LeBron. I watched LeBron’s high school games and while ESPN was mesmerized by his explosiveness to the basket and massive dunks, I was more impressed with his court vision. Here was a kid playing on national TV and he was still trying to get his teammates involved in the game. His passing was amazing and one would have thought he was playing with an all star squad, not a bunch of guys who will most likely never play organized basketball again in their life. The media kept trying to compare him to Michael Jordan and all I could think was that he is not remotely close to MJ, he was a much more athletic version of Magic Johnson or Larry Bird. Zion is 6’7” which is short for somebody with a limited jumper, questionable passing skills and a body that looks like it could use a few weeks of KETO diet and a little less Krispy Kreme.

The kid is 18 and will surely grow his game but the press is acting like he is a finished product and should not risk injury. This Bozo believes he needs to play, develop a better handle with the rock and get in better shape. For all our white readers over the age 45 let me translate: Better Handler of the rock means becoming a better dribbler. It is one thing to steam roll down court end to end like Sir Charles did at Auburn and have young kids get out of the way, but at the next level real men will be getting in your way. In addition, Zion is basically playing the traditional Duke defense in which you sort of guard a little of this and a little of that but you never fully commit to a single man. At his height, Zion will have to guard in the post men 6’10” or more who will not only easily shoot over him but can also step out and force him to guard 30 feet from the basket. This is a huge change for any young player and he needs to be learning it now because in the NBA there is not much time to prove your worth, especially if you are the 1st pick. Ask Anthony Bennet about that from only 4 years ago. He too was 6’7” and on the pudgy side and bullied his way through UNLV. When he got to the NBA they realized he couldn’t really shoot, dribble or defend much taller power forwards who could also step outside the 3 point line.

Zion needs to spend the next 45 days of March madness working on his game because as dozens of former Duke “Stars” have learned the hard way, it is one thing to put up great numbers against Clemson and N.C. State. It’s another thing to put up numbers (or leave the bench) in the NBA where real men play. Since 2000, Duke has put out one bust after another who were drafted high like they anticipate Zion will be. Grayson Allen, Luke Kennard, Harry Giles, Brandon Ingram, Jahlil Okafor, Jabari Parker, Justin Winslow, Tyrus Jones, Rodney Hood, Austin Rivers, Mason Plumlee, Sheldon Williams, Gerald Henderson, Jay Williams, Miles Plumlee, JJ Redick and Dahanty Jones to name just a few of the draft busts the last decade. To be fair, Kyrie Irving has worked out and JJ has been a great reserve player but for the most part, all these supposed Duke stars appear to be roster fillers not 1st round talent (jury is still out on Tatum and Bagley). Perhaps Zion should be working on his game and not planning his anointment as the chosen one. Come to think of it, perhaps Zion should transfer schools and get away from a Duke program that routinely obtains 4-5 star recruits and turns them into ordinary NBA players with little or no skill all so the media can praise Coach K. for his devotion to his players and winning the “right way”? We will save our blunt assessment of some of these saintly college coaches for March madness but right now, Zion Williamson needs to play and learn or he will join the list above of high school prodigies turned bench dweller and NBA- D league player.

-BSB