Ox 51
Musclechemistry Guru
Pete Thamel,Yahoo Sports•March 14, 2019
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The drought has stretched 22 days, nearly six full games and approximately four million highlights of an exploding Nike. But finally, after an abundance of caution, endless speculation and countless referendums on amateurism, Duke freshman Zion Williamson is expected to return to the basketball court on Thursday night.
In the quarterfinal nightcap of the ACC tournament, No. 3 Duke will play No. 6 Syracuse in a game that will bring a much-needed adrenaline shot to the largely listless proceedings here in Charlotte. Unless something drastic happens before tipoff, Williamson will be back in Duke's starting lineup for the first time since suffering a right knee sprain after his left Nike blew out on Feb. 20.
It comes at a time when the Blue Devils (26-5) need a jolt, as they've gone 3-3 since his injury in the opening minute of a home game against North Carolina. Two of those losses were to surging North Carolina, and a Duke team that appeared destined for the NCAA tournament's top overall seed needs a good showing to secure a No. 1 seed.
"He's electric, he gives those guys that extra oomph," said Adrian Autry, Syracuse's top assistant coach. "He gives those guys energy, and he's the best player and he plays hard. It forces the other guys to match that intensity."
The intensity of attention will also multiply exponentially. Few need reminders of how Williamson sprained his right knee to end up sidelined in the first place. In the most memorable on-court moment of the basketball season, Williamson's low-cut Paul George-model Nike ripped apart at the seams less than a minute into that Carolina game. It was a quintessential scene for this viral generation, as it combined the sport's best rivalry (Carolina-Duke), most iconic venue (Cameron Indoor), most powerful shoe brand (Nike) and the most celebrated and anticipated prospect in the American pipeline since LeBron James (Zion). Former President Barack Obama, sitting courtside, exclaimed, "His shoe broke," as if the moment needed another mega-influencer to toss kerosene on the viral bonfire.
Will Zion be wearing different shoes?
The expectation is yes. After Zion's Paul George-model Nikes exploded beneath him, change is inevitable. Those sneakers were lower cut, and the strong expectation around the Duke program is that Williamson will wear higher-cut LeBron James- or Kyrie Irving-model Nikes that will better support his massive frame and raw power.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The drought has stretched 22 days, nearly six full games and approximately four million highlights of an exploding Nike. But finally, after an abundance of caution, endless speculation and countless referendums on amateurism, Duke freshman Zion Williamson is expected to return to the basketball court on Thursday night.
In the quarterfinal nightcap of the ACC tournament, No. 3 Duke will play No. 6 Syracuse in a game that will bring a much-needed adrenaline shot to the largely listless proceedings here in Charlotte. Unless something drastic happens before tipoff, Williamson will be back in Duke's starting lineup for the first time since suffering a right knee sprain after his left Nike blew out on Feb. 20.
It comes at a time when the Blue Devils (26-5) need a jolt, as they've gone 3-3 since his injury in the opening minute of a home game against North Carolina. Two of those losses were to surging North Carolina, and a Duke team that appeared destined for the NCAA tournament's top overall seed needs a good showing to secure a No. 1 seed.
"He's electric, he gives those guys that extra oomph," said Adrian Autry, Syracuse's top assistant coach. "He gives those guys energy, and he's the best player and he plays hard. It forces the other guys to match that intensity."
The intensity of attention will also multiply exponentially. Few need reminders of how Williamson sprained his right knee to end up sidelined in the first place. In the most memorable on-court moment of the basketball season, Williamson's low-cut Paul George-model Nike ripped apart at the seams less than a minute into that Carolina game. It was a quintessential scene for this viral generation, as it combined the sport's best rivalry (Carolina-Duke), most iconic venue (Cameron Indoor), most powerful shoe brand (Nike) and the most celebrated and anticipated prospect in the American pipeline since LeBron James (Zion). Former President Barack Obama, sitting courtside, exclaimed, "His shoe broke," as if the moment needed another mega-influencer to toss kerosene on the viral bonfire.
Will Zion be wearing different shoes?
The expectation is yes. After Zion's Paul George-model Nikes exploded beneath him, change is inevitable. Those sneakers were lower cut, and the strong expectation around the Duke program is that Williamson will wear higher-cut LeBron James- or Kyrie Irving-model Nikes that will better support his massive frame and raw power.
