Celebrities have flocked to see Duke's 18-year-old superstar Zion Williamson - here's why he's been dubbed one of the 'most impressive collegiate prospects' ever

Scott Davis

Mar 21, 2019, 22:34 IST

Celebrities have flocked to see Duke's 18-year-old superstar Zion Williamson - here's why he's been dubbed one of the 'most impressive collegiate prospects' ever

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Zion Williamson is the biggest star in college basketball and considered one of the best prospects ever.
Williamson became a high school basketball star thanks to his highlight-reel dunks and incredible athleticism, and he has taken it to a new level during his freshman season at Duke.
At 18, Williamson has become the consensus No. 1 pick for the NBA Draft this June, and is poised for super-stardom at the next level.

If you aren't already familiar with Zion Williamson, now is the time.

With March Madness kicking off, no player will receive as much attention as the 18-year-old Duke star trying to lead the Blue Devils to the national title.

Williamson's fame has exploded in his freshman year at Duke. Already a high school basketball star, Williamson has risen to a new level this year, thanks to his jaw-dropping athleticism and highlight-reel dunks. He's considered one of the best college basketball prospects ever, and is the consensus No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft this June.

Here's how and why Williamson has become the brightest star in college basketball.

Zion Williamson has become the single biggest star in college basketball and has already solidified himself as the No. 1 pick in the NBA thanks to a stellar freshman season.

The 18-year-old, 6-foot-7, 285-lb forward has averaged 22 points, 9 rebounds, and 2 assists per game for No. 1 seed Duke. ESPN's draft expert Mike Schmitz called Williamson, "far and away the most impressive collegiate prospect I've ever evaluated."

The big take-away from Williamson's season has been his highlight-reel dunks and jaw-dropping athleticism.

He occasionally put himself in danger with his dunks...

ZION WILLIAMSON JUST TOOK FLIGHT

😳😳😳 pic.twitter.com/6eUalK3fz5

— FOX Sports South (@FOXSportsSouth) November 15, 2018

Williamson has become such a show-stopper that he was attracting celebrities to Duke games. From former president Barack Obama...

... to Jay Z...

.. to LeBron James ...

... to Dwyane Wade ... (also pictured: Shane Battier, Justise Winslow, and Udonis Haslem)

... to Floyd Mayweather (also pictured: the Warriors' Quinn Cook)

Though Williamson's fame has exploded to a national level while at Duke, he was already fairly well known in the basketball world as one of the top high school prospects.

Williamson was born in Salisbury, North Carolina, and attended Spartanburg Day School where he became a five-star recruit.

Williamson rose to fame through the mixtape culture, which showed his explosive play. He often made other high school kids look foolish on the court — he was simply on another level physically.

In 2017, Williamson and his AAU team SC Supreme faced the Big Ballers, which featured LaMelo Ball, the youngest brother of Lonzo Ball and son of LaVar Ball. The game drew a crowd so big that people were turned away at the doors. 80,000 people streamed it on Facebook Live.

Though Ball was the bigger star at the moment, Williamson outshined him, scoring 28 points and helping SC Supreme get the win.

Williamson averaged 36.4 points, 11.4 rebounds and 3.5 assists during his high school career. ESPN ranked him as the No. 2 prospect in the country in 2018.

Williamson eventually declared for Duke, who had a massive recruiting class, landing No. 1 prospect R.J. Barrett and No. 3 prospect R.J. Barrett.

Upon landing at Duke, Williamson immediately made highlights, not for his play, but for his vertical test. Williamson was able to jump so high that the Duke staff began putting weights underneath the measuring device to raise it higher.

Some wondered how Williamson's game would translate to college, where he wouldn't have the same physical advantages he had in high school. There was also concern about Williamson being a "tweener,"a player in between positions — too big and slow to play small forward, too small to play power forward or center.

As it turned out, Williamson did just fine. In Duke's first three exhibition games, he averaged over 25 points on 80% shooting and nearly 11 rebounds per game.

Williamson is much more than a dunker. He also has a smooth handle that allows him to utilize his athletic ability in transition.

And his strength and leaping ability makes him a menace on the glass.

Williamson doesn't have the smoothest stroke, but his shot looks far from broken. He shot 31.5% from three as a freshman. If he can hit them more consistently in the NBA, he'll be a terror.

Simply put, the basketball world has never really seen someone like Williamson — a nearly 300-pound player, who is more athletic than his peers, and amazingly skilled, too.

Williamson had a scare in February, when in a highly anticipated matchup against UNC, he tore through his shoe on a drive, then injured his knee.

The incident drew major national attention, not only for the bizarre nature of the injury, but about Williamson's collegiate future. Some argued he should sit out the rest of the season to protect his future earnings in the NBA.

Williamson missed five games with his knee injury. When he returned to action, he said of the idea of sitting out: "Thanks, but no thanks."

Williamson's return to the floor was emphatic. He dominated in the ACC Tournament, averaging 27 points, 10 rebounds, 2 steals, and 1 block per game while shooting 77% from the floor, 50% from three en route to helping Duke win the title.

Now, Williamson will try to lead Duke to the NCAA Tournament title. They're the heavy favorites.

After the tournament, Williamson will set his eyes on the NBA. He's sure to be the No. 1 pick, and plenty of NBA fanbases will be clamoring for him.

Now, check out the other top prospects to watch in the NCAA Tournament...

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