Zion Williamson, the 285-pound, 6-foot-7 forward would be a dream come true for New York Knicks fans. His ability to create excitement with his twirling dunks and defensive prowess is something the Big Apple hasn’t experienced in quite some time.
At any moment the Duke star can change the course of a game. On Saturday afternoon against the St. John’s Red Storm, Williamson hadn’t scored a point in the first few minutes, even heading to the bench for a short spell. He re-entered the game to easily put up 10 points in a row and finish the half with 19 overall.
A player bigger than Rob Gronkowski on the basketball court, stealing balls and lighting up the Mecca of Basketball – Madison Square Garden, would be a blessing. Zion could be the player to change the narrative of Knicks basketball, a team that has gone decades without a true chance at a championship ring.
Averaging 22 points-per-game over 20 contests for Duke, Williamson could call it quits now and be the first-overall pick in the draft, but no, he loves the game so much, he can’t quite on his team. He’s propelled a talented Duke team to the No.2 spot in college ball, likely going into March Madness as a favorite to win the tournament.
The Knicks are the worst team in the NBA:
With the recent trade sending Kristaps Porzingis on his merry way, two max contracts are now available for the Knicks to use. Bringing in big-name players will be tough, given the fact that the team is young and not readily competing for a playoff berth.
But, acquiring a player like Kevin Durant and having Williamson would provide such an upgrade that the Knicks would be a legitimate contender.
Zion’s most enticing characteristic:
The No.1 ranked player in the country has something a lot of players don’t have…coachability. He can take direction and listen to instruction. Many top players are overconfident and believe they know what’s right for the team, but Zion is aware that his team will perform better if he follows the rules.
“[Coach K] told me he’ll use me as an all-around player, like how he used LeBron with Team USA,” Williamson stated, according to SNY.com. “If he needs me to bring it up the court sometimes I will. If he needs me to post up a smaller player, I will. If I need to come off a screen and shoot a couple jumpers, I will, It’s just whatever he needs me to do, I’ll be able to do it.”
With players like RJ Barret and Cam Reddish playing alongside Williamson, it’s fair to say that Duke has a commanding lead on the rest of the country, while they do have two blips on the radar with two losses. Zion is an influential player, and will likely be the face of the team that acquires him in the upcoming NBA draft.
The Knicks don’t just ‘want’ Zion, they simply ‘need’ him. Too many years with bad draft picks have plagued the team and finding a generational talent that can help build the foundation of the organization for years to come is essential at this point in time.