NBA Stars Advise Duke Blue Devils’ Zion Williamson To ‘Shut It Down’

The good news is that Duke Blue Devils’ freshman forward Zion Williamson avoided a serious knee injury when he went down early in last week’s loss to North Carolina. Williamson is listed as ‘day-to-day’ though he will definitely miss Saturday’s game on the road at Syracuse.

By all accounts, Williamson is anxious to get back in the lineup and Duke is definitely anxious to have him with the ACC tournament followed by the NCAA tournament on the horizon. He’s averaging 21.6 points, 8.8 rebounds and 2.2 steals and is the presumptive first round NBA draft pick for 2019. With that big pro payday looming on the horizon a number of current NBA stars have suggested to Williamson that he ‘shut it down’ to avoid further injury that would put his basketball future at jeopardy.

NBA Hall of Famer Scotty Pippin was the first to suggest that Williamson start looking toward the NBA several weeks ago and even before the recent injury:

“I think he’s locked up the biggest shoe deal, I think he’s definitely going to be the No. 1 pick, I think he’s done enough for college basketball that it’s more about him, personally. I would shut it down. I would stop playing because I feel he could risk a major injury that could really hurt his career.”

Golden State Warriors’ DeMarcus Cousins joined the refrain suggesting that he put himself and his family first:

“Well, knowing what I know now, college is bull—-College basketball and the NCAA is bull—-. So my advice to him is, ‘Do what’s best for you and your family.’”

Cousins added that since Williamson has already established himself as the top choice in the 2019 NBA Draft that there’s nothing more he can do to benefit himself in college basketball:

“Obviously college…it does nothing for [Williamson] at this point. You’ve proven you’re the No. 1 pick coming out, you’ve proven your talent. Get ready for the next level, because it’s happening. That’s my opinion, knowing what I know now. Obviously, when I was at that age, you enjoy the moment, you’re enjoying the experience and all that. But there’s so many risks involved to get to the ultimate goal, which is this level. So just do what’s best for him and his family.”

Isiah Thomas, Jr. took to Twitter to echo Cousins’ advice:

“Too much on the line to be messing with college if you got a legit chance to turn pro. One injury can change somebody career, Zion sit yo a– down lol and we will be ready for you in the big boy league.”

Williamson’s public comments have suggested that he’ll be back in the lineup as soon as he’s physically able to do so:

“I just can’t stop playing. I’d be letting my teammates down. I’d be letting Coach K down. I’d be letting a lot of people down. If I wanted to sit out, I wouldn’t have went to college. I came to Duke to play.”

On the other hand, with the NCAA Tournament just a month away and several months until the NBA Draft he might have reason to reconsider this view.