By Matthew Barnes, sports opinion
On Feb. 20, when Duke played rival North Carolina, Duke’s star player Zion Williamson went down with a knee sprain. His Nike shoe completely ripped, and he sat out the rest of the game. Although he has recovered quickly, as of this writing he still has not resumed play with the team. Williamson is a projected top pick in the NBA Draft, and nearly all analysts believe he will be the top pick. With that in mind, there is now a debate on whether he should even play the rest of this season.
The NBA is the ultimate dream for most families, so I can understand the motives behind playing it safe in college. There have been a few cases where talented pro-prospects overexerted themselves at the collegiate level and paid the price in the NBA.
Just look, for example, at former 2007 top pick Greg Oden. He joined the NBA after one collegiate season but suffered numerous injuries as a young player that derailed his career. Despite this, if all talented players barely value college basketball, they ruin the fun of it.
I will preface my argument by saying this: If high school basketball players feel they are pro-ready, they should not be forced to go to college. I am glad that this rule is being worked on because I don’t think higher education should be mandatory. Nevertheless, I can’t argue with the ideal set of rules in mind. Because of the fact that these players represent a larger university that is truly invested in them, the players should give their all to bring success to their teams.
Part of what makes March Madness so fun (aside from the upsets) is that fans get to see high intensity play. Everything the team has worked for is at stake in March — it’s win or go home. So players leave it all on the line and put their well-being at stake to win. What precedent is set if every talented player treats the NCAA tournament as an afterthought?
Williamson has played with high energy all season and seems to care about winning basketball games. One minor injury shouldn’t stop him from continuing the journey. If he was recovering from a major injury, such as a broken bone, that would be a different story. But a mild knee sprain isn’t a huge deal and shouldn’t hold him back much.
Also, I’m a huge believer in the value of team-minded individuals. It wouldn’t be fair to some of Duke’s other players who put the work in every week, only for their star player to bail on them when times get tricky.
I really don’t like Duke, so part of me wants to see Williamson sit. It would open up the tournament even more, and there wouldn’t be as clear of a favorite. But I must admit, he is an electrifying player, and I am curious to see what he is capable of in postseason play. He should be interested enough in his craft to play a few more games.
The NBA is the big picture, no doubt. Our society normally encourages looking at the big picture rather than the smaller moments, but there can be room for both. If one asked Anthony Davis if he regrets playing in the tournament and winning a title, I’m sure he would laugh that question off. College basketball helps shape kids into men and builds brotherhood along with character. Those will be memories Williamson would always cherish, even with a multi-million dollar contract in a few years. So maybe he should save the big picture for later and hold onto what he currently has.
