NBA
Featured Video
Trae Young Preseason Ejection šŸ¤”
Duke's Zion Williamson (1) watches a free throw during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Wake Forest in Winston-Salem, N.C., Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2019. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)
Duke's Zion Williamson (1) watches a free throw during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Wake Forest in Winston-Salem, N.C., Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2019. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)Chuck Burton/Associated Press

Scottie Pippen: Zion Williamson Should 'Shut It Down' at Duke, Do NBA Draft Prep

Rob Goldberg
Jan 16, 2019

Duke star Zion Williamson is the favorite to be the No. 1 pick in the 2019 NBA draft, which might mean he has nothing more to prove at the college level.

That's why NBA Hall of Famer Scottie PippenĀ thinksĀ Williamson should sit out for the rest of the year (relevant discussion begins at 4:33):

"I think he's done enough for college basketball, that it's more about him personally now," Pippen said Tuesday on ESPN's The Jump. "I think for him as a young player (pauses), I would shut it down.Ā I would stop playing, because I feel that he could risk a major injury that could really hurt his career."

Williamson entered his freshman season with a lot of hype. He has exceeded it while averaging 21.2 points, 9.4 rebounds, 2.0 steals and 1.9 blocks per game on the year.Ā 

Bleacher Report'sĀ JonathanĀ WassermanĀ listed him as the No. 1 prospect in the class and put him in a tier by himself.

NBA teams are also extremely high on Williamson as he continues to showcase his wide skill set.

"One league personnel man told me recently that he sees Williamson as a cross between Larry Johnson and Charles Barkley,Ā which is obviously monstrous praise," a scout toldĀ Marc SteinĀ of theĀ New York Times.

It's hard to imagine his stock getting any higher.

However, an injury could hurt his draft status depending on the severity. Michael Porter Jr. dealt with back problems last year at Missouri and still hasn't made his NBA debut. Williamson's teammate,Ā TreĀ Jones, separated his AC joint in Monday's game, perĀ Gary ParrishĀ of CBS Sports.

That may not only affect the rest of the season for the point guard, but also potentially his preparation for the NBA draft.

Pippen believes Williamson should avoid that type of risk by sitting out the rest of the year.

Considering Ohio State football star NickĀ BosaĀ is still projected to be a top pick in the NFL draft after he left school early this past fall, such a move isn't out of the question in this era.

However, Williamson may want to continue his Duke career and possibly end it with an NCAA championship before moving on to the NBA.

Trae Young Preseason Ejection šŸ¤”