In case you didn’t hear, there was this thing called the NBA Draft Lottery on Tuesday night, and the New Orleans Pelicans received the top pick in the draft. Probably not the perfect landing spot for eventual top pick Zion Williamson with one of the smaller markets in the NBA
It was reported Zion wanted to go to the Knicks, which makes sense considering that might be the best place for him to make as much money as he possibly can. Since then, speculation and suggestions regarding his basketball future have been up for debate.
Zion Williamson has said nothing on this situation, but it’s a spicy topic in the media streets that will likely end in a boring fashion, but what’s the fun in that? The Zion possibilities are endless.
Back to school
No.
No.
No.
If you hear anybody seriously bring up the possibility of Zion Williamson going back to college for his sophomore year of college at Duke, grab the nearest object to you and repeatedly smash them in the head with said object. I am writing about this possibility, so that counts. Go ahead and smack me the next time we cross paths.
Zion is probably getting paid in college, but it’s nowhere near what he will be making with a salary and massive endorsement deals as already one of the most marketable athletes in the sport. The goal is to hit that second contract as soon as you possibly can.
The Pelicans will likely have a good chance being the favorites to land the top pick in next year’s draft lottery. They were already a bad team and will probably be losing Anthony Davis along the way. What if they keep getting the first overall pick? Is Zion just going to keep going back to school? He might be a four-year college star by the time we’re done with this.
Banking on the Lakers or Knicks landing the top pick would be complete insanity.
As a college hoops fan, I would love another year with Zion. But is it going to happen?
No.
Pull an Eli
This is a much more likely scenario than the college idea. What about pulling an Eli Manning? A John Elway? This happened in football a few times when the player just flat out says they will not be playing for a certain team prior to the draft.
Based on his personality, saying this as a person who has no idea on Zion’s personality as we have never met, it doesn’t seem like he would go do this, but it would make for a fascinating NBA offseason with teams offering everything they have for Zion.
And if you’re New Orleans, you might just have to quit the franchise if this were to happen. If Zion said he will never play for the Pelicans, he would join fellow superstar Anthony Davis in doing this. Not sure how a franchise ever comes back from that, and why would any big-time player ever want to play there?
They would become the Seattle Pelicans within five years.
Withdraw from the draft
What a wild situation this would be. Just up and leave basketball altogether for a year. Train for a full year and get ready for the 2020 NBA Draft.
Not going to happen. And this would be bad for everybody. A Zion-less basketball season is not what we need right now.
Stick with New Orleans
This is a lame, but highly likely outcome. In the end, Zion will probably be drafted by New Orleans next month, and all this discussion will have been a waste of everybody’s time.
I’m also not so sure major markets matter as much as they used to. Zion is already a superstar, and superstars can be found. No matter where LeBron went last offseason, people were going to watch him. Will that be the same with Zion? I sure think so.
Between this and his injury at Duke, no college athlete has been told what to do more than Zion Williamson.
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