The college basketball season tipped off in full earnest, with a great doubleheader of top-10 teams. Most eyes were on the showdown between two powerhouse programs in Kentucky and Duke. In particular, Duke boasts one of the most star-studded recruiting classes ever with top-5 recruits RJ Barrett, Cam Reddish and Zion Williamson.
While Barrett and Reddish are ranked slightly higher on draft boards, it is Williamson who is the most popular of the group thanks to his unreal slam dunk videos populating YouTube.
None of have disappointed thus far in the season, and the play of Williamson has caught the attention of Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr.
He hinted towards Williamson reminding him of Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James while trying not to draw a fine, via Anthony Slater of The Athletic:
“I saw some kid on Duke who was pretty impressive. My goodness. I probably can’t say anything more or mention his name. … I thought LeBron was a one-shot deal, but apparently the next guy is coming. And before I get fined, I’m going to change the subject.”
While Kerr does a good job of not naming names, Williamson is the most obvious comparison to James. Duke lists the 18-year-old at 6’7 and 285 pounds and his athleticism is absolutely jaw-dropping.
Nonetheless, with so many rules about what can and can’t be said about players, Kerr doing his best to give praise while potentially avoiding a fine is truly a sight to behold.
Whether Williamson will manage to exceed potentially lofty expectations as James has is unknown, and even if he doesn’t, it wouldn’t necessarily mean not having a successful career.
