Duke freshman forward Zion Williamson suffered a mild knee sprain last night early in the Blue Devils sold out rivalry game against the eighth-ranked North Carolina Tar Heels. After Williamson blew out his shoe 30 seconds into the first half he left the game and did not return.
After the game, Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said he couldn’t offer any specifics, but did say that the knee is stable. He’s expected to undergo further testing, and results should come Thursday.
Williamson immediately clutched his right knee after blowing through his shoe on the play. He hobbled off the court moments later after an official timeout, shoe in hand, and went straight to the locker room.
Nike, who has taken the heat since last night online and in the media, issued a statement and said they are “working to identify the issue” after the potential No. 1 pick in June’s NBA Draft left a packed house that included former President Barack Obama on hand.
“We are obviously concerned and want to wish Zion a speedy recovery,” Nike said in a statement obtained by ESPN. “The quality and performance of our products are of utmost importance. While this is an isolated occurrence, we are working to identify the issue.”
Many fans, scouts and NBA players are now asking the question of whether or not Zion should return to play college ball regardless if he is healthy or not or should he pack it away and solidify his stock at the professional level. We’ve seen cases locally, where Nick Bosa ended his season at Ohio State after suffering an abdominal injury. Bosa never played a snap again but will likely be the first player take in the NFL Draft this April.
We keep you updated on the latest surrounding Zion’s injury as information becomes available.
