What Would Happen if Zion Williamson Chose Duke?

The number two recruit in ESPN’s Top 100 Players of 2018 has announced when he will make his decision on where he will be playing basketball next year. Teams believed to be in his final five are Duke, Kentucky, Kansas, Clemson, and North Carolina, the Blue Blood Programs plus Clemson. Now what would happen if Williamson picked Duke?

As of right now the Duke Blue Devils have two of the top three recruits in the 2018 class and three of the top ten. If Zion Williamson were to choose Duke this could be the greatest recruiting class of all time. If this were to happen Duke would have the number one recruit, RJ Barrett, the number two recruit, Zion Williamson, the number three recruit, Cam Reddish, and the number ten recruit, Tre Jones.

With all five of Duke’s starting players leaving for the draft in 2018, the Blue Devils could use all the recruits they can get. Zion Williamson would significantly improve the 2018-19 Blue Devils.

This would make their starting lineup look something like this:

PG: Tre Jones

SG: Alex O’Connell

SF: Cam Reddish

SF: RJ Barrett

PF: Zion Williamson

As of right now Duke does not have a center for next year and it appears that if Williamson were to choose Duke they would play with a starting five that would consist of three forwards and two guards.

One reason for this is the potential transfer of former number 16 recruit Marques Bolden. Bolden has not gotten the playing time many think he deserves, and following the transfer of Jordan Tucker, the flood gates may have just been opened for others. When top players are not getting the playing time they feel as if they deserve they will transfer to programs where they will.

If Marques Bolden does stay at Duke for the 2018-19 season then we may see a starting lineup that consists of Jones, Reddish, Barrett, Williamson and Bolden. If Bolden were to start we could see significant improvement from the center out of Desoto, Texas.

Now, according to 247 Sports’ Crystal Ball, Dukes chances of getting Zion Williamson are slim, but not impossible. According to the experts on 247 Sports Zion Williamson’s recruiting looks as follows:

41% Clemson and Kentucky

6% North Carolina, Kansas and Cloudy

Next: Dominant High School Prospect Sets NCAA Decision Date

If you have paid attention to this Crystal Ball then you have seen that this has changed quite significantly. It used to be about 47% Kentucky, 23% Duke, 12% UNC, 12% Kansas and 6% Cloudy. With this being said this may not hold much weight but it is one of the most consistent prediction sites out there.

So don’t get your hopes up for Zion Williamson to be donning ‘Duke’ across his chest next year, but don’t put it out of the picture either.