Brendan Smith

What’s that old saying? The only guarantees in life are death, taxes, and people hating Duke basketball? Yeah, that sounds about right.

It truly is incredible how this happens. Duke basketball continues to be one of the easiest teams to hate in existence. First, it was Christian Laettner, then it was JJ Reddick, then Grayson Allen, and now, it is the 2018 recruiting class. In a surprising move, Zion Williamson, the nation’s third-ranked recruit, chose the Blue Devils over South Carolina, Clemson, and others. Williamson’s commitment all but guarantees that Dukes’ class will be the highest ranked in the nation, as Coach K now has secured pledges from four (R.J. Barrett, Cameron Reddish, Williamson, and Tre Jones) of ESPN’s top ten recruits.

Many experts had believed that Williamson was leaning toward in-state Clemson, but were proven wrong Saturday night.

Sometimes, it almost feels bad hating another team so much. With Duke, there almost is no choice. It is almost instinctual for anyone born outside of Durham, NC to hate on the Blue Devils. The team has had a run of success that is legendary, Coach K seems to recruit just about anybody he wants, and no matter who they are, turn them into a villain by the time they leave. Even players that have never suited up for Duke are now facing the anti-Duke wrath.

Not that I am in the business of bashing a high schooler for not choosing my favorite team (Syracuse never even floated an offer), but Williamson had an opportunity to cement his legacy in the state of South Carolina by choosing either of the two in-state schools in his final group. Now, this is no reason to hate Zion Williamson. You may hate Duke basketball, but please, save yourself the time and allow your dignity to stay intact by not engaging in keyboard warfare with a high school senior. Hating Duke basketball is fine. No, it is encouraged by me. Being a Syracuse fan, I am obligated to hate every other team in the ACC, but time and time again, Duke stands above the rest.

Zion Williamson, the Player

Overall, Zion Williamson has one of the highest ceilings in this recruiting class. His size (6’6″, 275 pounds) is almost unheard of, but when his athleticism is displayed, it is easy to see why so many schools pursued Williamson. His dunking ability has been the subject of numerous YouTube videos, and he has found himself in Sportcenter’s Top 10 Plays often.

His unique athletic ability gives him the high floor of an athletic wing, but the same athletic ability allows for lofty comparisons. Before Williamson reaches his full potential, his game needs to be completed. Adding the ability to shoot from long-range and become an above-average defender will solidify Williamson as a top five NBA draft pick. Even right now, I am confident in saying that Williamson will be a lottery pick when he declares. Now, if his shooting and defense improve, we can entertain a LeBron James comparison. Until then, please return to hating Duke.