Zion is Hurt Again and That Sucks

It looks as if Zion Williamson is going to miss all of the 21-22 NBA season. It is being reported that he may need a second surgery on his ankle, or some lower body part needed to play basketball at a high level.

This really bums me out. I am trying to be more upbeat this year, but after hearing this news the other day, I have to talk about it. I like Zion. I am not a Duke fan, but I watched them play when Zion was there. I am not a New Orleans Pelicans fan, but I watched when Zion was playing. But now, with multiple injuries and missing time here and there and having his minutes restricted when he was playing, it just seems like Zion is going to go down as one of the biggest what ifs in the history of the NBA.

There are some reports saying that he might not need the surgery, that it is too soon to tell, but come on, we have seen this story before. And that is what scares me most about this new report. Zion was THE can't miss prospect when he entered the draft three years ago. He was supposed to be the most sure pick since LeBron. He was going to save the Pelicans, being that they had just traded Anthony Davis to the Lakers. Teaming him up with Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram and Josh Hart was going to make this one of the most fun teams to watch in the NBA for years to come. Hell, I was laughed at and chastised by RD for ranking Ja Morant ahead of Zion in my pre draft write up that year. Who is laughing now RD? HAHAHAHAHA. But I digress. I bought into the Zion hype. I am super pumped that Morant is as great as he is this early in his career, but I looked at the possibility of him and Zion being the next 1-2 punch in the league. It was going to be super dope to see these two extremely skilled and hyper athletic athletes go head to head for years and years to come. But while Ja has stayed relatively healthy, the same cannot be said for Zion. His rookie year he played in only 24 games. Those 24 games were spellbounding, with some nutjobs claiming he should be ROTY, clearly Ja deserved and won it. But he looked great. But he was also playing garbage time for a team well out of the playoff race by then. He missed far too much time, and we should have seen that as a sign. But in the 2020 season he played in 61 games. He seemed like he was in decent shape. He was playing the point at times for the Pelicans. He was putting up double doubles with ease. It looked like we were going to get the greatness we all expected.

Then the pandemic hit. There was a two month layoff. And when the NBA decided to do the bubble, Zion looked disinterested and out of shape. Something seemed off. The Pelicans could have made the playoffs, but they went home after eight subpar games. Then talks started that he was unhappy, that he was going to ask for a trade, that he wanted to be in a bigger market. But then when the season started, Zion was hurt again. He was going to miss a few weeks. The few weeks turned into a month. Then came a surgery that has kept him out. There were also some photos surfacing of him shooting around before a game, and he looked big. I get that people can doctor photos, and I do not like my picture taken, but Zion has always been a big dude, and he looked real big in these photos. That was the one knock on him coming into the NBA, that he was going to have to lose weight. And it seems like he has not taken on that role yet. I get it. I'm a big guy too, and food is delicious, but I am not a professional athlete who has gobs of money at my disposal and can hire people to help keep me in shape. Yet I have found ways to lose weight and keep it off. To this point in the season, Zion has played zero games. And with this new news it seems like he is going to miss the entirety of the regular season. And I think fans and other people involved with the NBA are starting to move on.

I hope I am wrong and I hope he comes back stronger than ever next year. But we are in year three and he has only played 85 career games. That scares me. I cannot imagine how scared Pelicans fans and their front office are right now. I hope the news is wrong. I hope he does not have to get surgery, or if he does, it is very minor. I hope he comes back and is as ferocious a dunker and rebounder as he was before. I want the best for him because, as a selfish NBA fan, I want to see him dominate. But at this rate it seems more likely that he retires sooner than expected and we talk about Zion as what could have been. That would stink. I hope I am wrong.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

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Will the Zion Allegations Finally Shine a Light on the Real Coach K?

Well maybe we will finally see Duke get some kind of sanctions handed down to their men's basketball team.

In a report that came out two days ago, it appears that Zion Williamson "received gifts and benefits from people at Duke to attend the university". Now, this type of stuff happens all the time in college sports, especially in basketball. This happened at Michigan with the Fab Five. Louisville got a slap on the wrist for similar stuff. I am almost positive LSU will get into a same type of legal situation. Kansas is going to get absolutely hammered by the NCAA when the FBI investigation is done, at least I think they will. And now we have this Zion situation at Duke.

Look, I have said it on this site, on the pod, to friends and family that will humor me, Coach K is no different than any of the other coaches accused of this, most notably John Calipari, but he has some weird pull over the media. ESPN, Sports Illustrated, Bleacher Report, they never, ever say anything bad about him when they are almost too eager to attack other coaches and programs. They all talk about how "clean" of a program he runs. But, when you constantly get the top prospects every year, there is something fishy about that. With the Fab Five, it happened once and Michigan got everything taken away from that era. When Calipari left UMASS and Memphis, they were hit with sanctions. LSU will get crushed soon because why on Earth would Ben Simmons choose to go play his one year of college basketball there, I will never know. If you continue to cheat, one day you will get caught. I am a firm believer in karma, and at some point, if you do some underhanded bull shit, the powers that be will catch you.

Now, I am curious to see how the NCAA handles this. I get the feeling it will be kind of like what they did to Penn State football and now Michigan State. I fear they will try and sweep it under the rug. The NCAA doesn't want a stain on the guy they always promote as "being a molder of young men", a guy that "runs a clean program", a guy they claim to be "more of a teacher than a coach". The NCAA loves Duke, but more importantly, they ADORE Coach K. I feel like they will protect him at all cost. I honestly believe they will throw Zion, and any other top prospect he has recruited, under the bus before they say a bad word about Coach K. To me, that is because the NCAA is corrupt, and they care more about these coaches that makes millions upon millions of dollars for themselves and their schools and their product, than they do about these kids. The thing is, these kids are the ones bringing in all the money. No one, and I mean NO ONE goes to Duke games to watch Mike Krzyewski coach. You really think all those people at the Duke-UNC game two years ago went to see him and Roy Williams game plan?! Get out of here with that nonsense. They were all there to see Zion. I tuned in from my home to watch two teams I could care less about because of Zion.

So that begs the question, do I think Zion took money, or he and his family asked for money, or someone they trust asked for money and other stuff for him to attend Duke? Absolutely I do. Which may lead you to ask me if I think Zion should get in trouble? Not at all. I don't think Zion or Chris Webber or Ben Simmons or Derrick Rose or Marcus Camby or any other kid that has asked for something should be punished. They bring in money to those school hand over foot, which then allows those schools to pay coaches millions of dollars, and make millions more on merchandising kids that don't see a dime off stuff with their likeness on it. And Coach K isn't immune to this. He is just as guilty as any other coach that has gotten their names dragged through the mud for doing the same. The fact that Zion is going to be disposed, and asked to answer questions about this under oath could be a major blow to Coach K's image. Either way Zion is going to reveal some truths we all know and have kind of let go, or he is going to be pressured to lie, under oath, so Coach K won't have his image tarnished. To me, it doesn't matter, Coach K's image was shot when he decided he needed to be part of the "one and done" recruiting, if not before then. Look, I know KU hasn't been charged with anything yet, but believe me when I say that I don't look at Bill Self and see a solid coach. When I see him, I see a guy that will cheat to get top flight players. I see the same thing will John Calipari. Hell, even with Tom Izzo. But at least those guys aren't trying to hide it. They may not out and out say it, but we know they know we know. That's just facts.

All in all, I hope Zion goes in there, tells the truth and Coach K is left to answer. Because if he gets away with this, I will have lost what teeny tiny little sliver of respect I may still have for the NCAA. Coach K has done some underhanded stuff, and I hope he gets his comeuppance.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

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Pelicans vs. Lakers in the Playoffs Would Be Awesome

Before  really get into the meat of my topic today I was to put some stuff out there first. I want everyone to know that I have adopted the Memphis Grizzlies as my favorite NBA team. They are closest to me, I have been to multiple games, I love the city and the arena and they are a fun team to watch. I also believe without a shadow of a doubt that Ja Morant is the Rookie of the Year, and that it shouldn't even be a close vote. Hell, I'd go as far to say that he could, and maybe should, be the unanimous choice. I also find the entire team a blast to watch, I think they will be a perennial playoff team sooner rather than later, that Morant is going to become even more of a star and that they are ahead of schedule, in a very good way.

Okay, with all that being said, and please keep that in mind as I write my piece today, I want to see New Orleans and the Lakers face off in a first round playoff series. I know this means the Grizzlies would get pushed out, they have little to no shot of catching up with Dallas or OKC, and I am fine with that. They will be in the playoffs next year. But, with the game between the Pelicans and Lakers tonight, and with the Pelicans at full strength, I think this would be the absolute dopest first round playoff matchup. It has so many elements that would make this so awesome. We have AD having to go back to New Orleans to play, at least, 2 games. That crowd is going to boo the absolute crap out of him. It won't matter because he is incredibly talented, and a super gifted basketball player, but it would be almost cathartic for the Pelicans fans to have that moment, and maybe prove that they don't need AD after all. On the other side, we'd have Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart and any other player the Lakers traded to get AD. They would all get their chance to prove to the Lakers front office that they maybe gave up too much. Again, AD is a generational player, and if he gets the Lakers a title it will be totally worth it. But still, they gave up their future to get this guy, and some of those guys, Ingram I feel especially, will want to stick it to them. Just like AD getting booed, it won't matter, but it would be so much fun to watch. Then we have Zion versus LeBron. We have the current best player, and face of the league for the past almost two decades versus the guy everyone figures will be the new face when, and if he can stay healthy, LeBron retires.

Forget the playoffs for a moment. I'm excited to see them matchup tonight. I saw a picture on Bleacher Report earlier today asking the question of which one is more likely to dunk on the other one, and I got pumped at the idea. During a regular season game. Imagine that energy in a 7 game series. I mean, I'm sure it would be a sweep, maybe the Pelicans get one, but still, it would be fun. It kind of reminds me of when AD pushed the Pelicans into the playoffs and they played the Warriors. The Warriors won the series with ease, but AD was amazing. I feel like Zion can do that, but he has a much better supporting cast. I also like some of the other cross matchups. I love Ingram going against a guy like Avery Bradley. Or seeing Jrue Holiday face up with Rajon Rondo. I want to see how AD would guard Zion. This series would be great.

Again, the Grizzlies are my team. Ja is my dude. They're going to be a real player in the West very soon. But, just for one season, I want to see the Pelicans get swept by the Lakers. It will be a quick, but absolute blast of a series. Lets see it happen.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

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In One Quarter, Zion Williamson Gave Us an Exciting Glimpse into His Future

I don't feel like I would be being a responsible sports/pop culture blogger if I didn't give my first impression of the debut of Zion Williamson last night.

I, much like the rest of the NBA watching world, have been waiting with bated breath for Zion to suit up. I know that the Pelicans are going to take every precaution, dot all the i's and cross all the t's, make sure he is more than 100 percent healthy before they were going to let him play. From what Zion said, he was ready to play a month ago. But, the Pelicans have a ton invested in him, so I get why they waited so long. I wasn't thrilled about it, but I get it.

Anyway, after 44 games, the Pelicans finally trotted Zion out last night. This was must watch TV. But, for the first three quarters, it was kind of a tease. The Pelicans started him, but he only played 8 total minutes in the first half. He took 2 shots, made 1, had a few rebounds and an assist. I said to my wife at one moment, "he looks a little awkward out there". He already has a weird gait, but it seemed more pronounced every time he ran. He almost immediately got rid of the ball when it was in his possession. He didn't appear as springy as we have all become accustomed to. He had a few wild turnovers. He seemed to avoid contact. Even in the second quarter, when he looked like he was finally getting in the groove, the coaching staff would take him out to get him some rest. All of this is expected, especially when it comes to a rookie, and a rookie coming off of an injury, but still, I felt a little disappointed after the first half. Even early in the third, it felt a little bit the same. He still looked somewhat tentative. I was kind of stunned because he has never shown this side of himself. He has always seemed to be an uber confident player, and when the lights shine brightest, so does he. He has a ton of followers on all the major social media platforms, he has since he was in high school, so to see him play, dare I say scared, was wild.

Then the fourth quarter happened.

The Pelicans were down, they needed a push and I think Zion sensed the moment, and that was when he took center stage. You could just tell by the change in his gait and face that he was ready to take over. He then went on to score 17 straight points, showing off all of the skills that he has been honing since high school. He ripped down rebounds. He bounced back up for tip ins. He made precise passes to start fast breaks. He dunked. He even hit a mid range here and there, and it was glorious to watch. I, and I cannot believe I am about to write this, felt the same as when I first saw LeBron in his first game as a rookie. Now, LeBron exploded right away, and he is now the second greatest player ever, and I am not saying that Zion will reach that stature, But, I had that same feeling that I watching a once in a generation talent. I was watching a guy built like Charles Barkley, but dunking and rebounding like Shawn Kemp ad passing like Chris Paul. He was playing defense like a vet against other vets. It was like the switch flipped, and he remembered he was playing a game he loves that he happens to be exceptional at. It was lightening in a bottle. All the wear and tear and rust, or whatever you want to call it, it went away in the fourth quarter, and it was so worth the wait. I thought while he was going off, this is what we have all been waiting for. This is what we all thought he could do. This was the fun player that I have been waiting to see. I know the Pelicans didn't win, but damn it if Zion wasn't a treasure to watch. He is part of this new generation that is going to continue to make the NBA the most fun professional sport to watch. I'm so happy he is healthy, playing and looks like he is having fun doing it all. And I'm glad that he is back on a court.

The wait was long, but if he continues to do what he did last night, and gets better and better every year, it will be completely worth it. Zion is a treasure.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet. 

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There Are A Lot of Winners in the Anthony Davis Trade

The Lakers finally landed Anthony Davis. After a trade demand midway through this past season, an openly flirtation with the Lakers, tampering beyond belief, Rich Paul basically getting 2 guys fired, and the Lakers offering up the majority of their young talent, the trade finally happened. Well, technically it isn't official yet, we have to wait until early July. But, both parties have an agreement that Davis will be a Laker, and the Pelicans will get Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart and 3 future first round picks, including the number 4 pick in this Thursday's draft.

To me, I feel like both teams got what they wanted. If you were to tell me I had to pick a "winner" of this trade though, I would say New Orleans won, and they won it by a mile. Yes, they have to give up Davis, who when healthy is a top 3 player in the league, and pairing him with LeBron, albeit at age 35, they will make a very formidable front court. But, the Lakers had to mortgage their future for what may only be 2 years of top notch basketball. LeBron is getting older, that is just a fact. He also missed the most time of his career due to injury last year. He also looked a step slower, and his jumper, while never good, was not effective at all last year. But Davis is awesome and young. He is a force on defense, he can rebound with the best of them, his jump shot is much improved, and when engaged, or not hurt, he is nearly unstoppable. He will also be out to prove something next year.

But, unless the Lakers can get another top level guy to come over on a deal worth much less than they expect, their roster is decimated. I saw a snapshot of the roster now, and outside of LeBron and Davis, it is bleak. They were able to keep Kyle Kuzma, who was, for some unknown reason, almost the guy who was the make or break player in this deal. Sure, he is a good scorer, and he can kind of hit threes, but he is a big minus on defense, and he will now have to be the third or fourth option. I don't know if he will like that. All the guys he came in the league with too, and had befriended, they are gone. He is the lone young player on the Lakers now. They we have guys like Mo Wagner, who can't rebound or play defense, Rajon Rondo, who is about a million years old, Lance Stephenson. who should have been out of the league 2 years ago, Issac Bonga, who I know zero about, Tyson Chandler, who is older than Rondo and Alex Caruso, who looks like the dude you hate to play in your local rec league. Dare I say, the Lakers bench is worse than the Warriors bench right now. Again, this can change if they get a Kyrie Irving or Kemba Walker or Jimmy Butler, but I don't see that happening. But, kudos to LeBron, Rich Paul and Anthony Davis, you whined your way to a trade to the Lakers, even if it meant destroying your future. It is now more clear than ever who runs the Lakers.

On the other hand, the Pelicans absolutely crushed this deal. They traded away a disgruntled player for 3 young guys that have certain skills they need, and first round picks for three years. They have the number one and number 4 pick in the upcoming draft. And lets say the Lakers have solid seasons the next 2 years, they will still get their pick, plus a second first rounder in the next 2 drafts. That is some Danny Ainge dealing KG and Paul Pierce to the Nets type shit. This is a homerun of a deal. I know Jrue Holiday was upset when Davis asked out, but if I were him now, I would be very excited for the future of the team. He is still there, and he is an underrated guy, plus he has all this young talent coming to play on his team. The Pelicans don't have to immediately blow it up and rebuild now. Holiday can slide over to the 2, and Ball can be the point. While I have been very tough on Ball as a player, he is a good point guard. He has great court vision, is a willing passer and plays solid defense. His shot is pure trash, but he won't need to shoot too much on this team. This may be the best thing for him too, getting himself and his dad out of LA. I still think very highly of Brandon Ingram. He is one Duke guy that I actually like. He also started to show flashes last season of what he can do. He is a long and lanky shooter. He can also get to the rim very quickly. His long stride is very good for the fast break. I bet of all the players traded yesterday he is the happiest. He looked miserable playing next to LeBron last year. Now he has a fresh start, and he will be one of the go to guys in New Orleans. Josh Hart was one of the few young guys that LeBron counted on last year. That shows maturity to me. The fact that he was willing to do what was best for the team is a trait I love in professional players. By the way, he can shoot and play defense as well. Hart will step in right away and be a solid contributor, do the little things asked of him, and I bet he will become an instant fan favorite. The Pelicans, who own the first pick, are going to take Zion on Thursday. That is the type of star power they need to replace Davis. Zion is not Davis, not yet at least, but he might be the best prospect since Davis. This kid is an amazing leaper with good passing skills and a willingness to play defense and be coached. He may not have been happy when New Orleans won the draft lottery, but if I were him now, I'd be stoked looking at this current team he's about to be on. The combo of him and Ball, especially on fast breaks, is going to be awesome. Zion will also get Ingram and Hart plenty of open looks. He will help out Holiday a ton. This is as about a perfect situation as a rookie can get. And with the fourth pick, they can go strictly based on need, and get a pretty talented player. I don't think they will get Ja Morant or RJ Barrett, and I don't see them taking a point guard like Darius Garland or Coby White due to who they acquired in the trade. But that means they can look at a guy like Jaxson Hayes, the big center from Texas. Or they can check in on DeAndre Hunter, a solid shooting 3 or 4 who plays defense. Jarrett Culver could be another option for them as a solid backup to Holiday. Brandon Clarke could be on their radar now. They can look at some overseas talent. They have, pretty much, endless options for the upcoming draft.

This was the homerun the Pelicans wanted to get with this Davis deal, and they absolutely knocked it out of the park. The Lakers should also be happy in this deal. They all got what they wanted. I will just say, I am more pumped to watch the Pelicans than the Lakers next year after this trade. They should be the more fun team to watch on League Pass.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet. 

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It is Time for Zion Williamson to Retire from College Basketball

I, much like most of the country, tuned into the Duke-UNC game last night. I have no rooting interest in either team. In fact, I loathe Duke, and I can give or take UNC. I usually do not care less about this game.

But last night was different.

I tuned in to see Zion Williamson.

I have watched this kid here and there all season long, my longest look being the Virginia game a week or so ago. But last night, like I said, everyone was watching. They took a camera around the arena, and I saw people like Ken Griffey Jr, Spike Lee, and most notably, President Barack Obama. They were all there for the same reason I tuned in I suppose, Zion. This kid is the talk of college basketball. He is a highlight reel. He usually does something spectacular. He is going to be the first pick in the NBA draft when he leaves after this season. He was the reason that the ticket prices were rumored to be in the 5 figures last night. I know there were other 5 star players in this game, but none of them can hold a candle to the supernova that is Zion Williamson.

Then, 33 seconds into the game, he ripped through his shoe and sprained his knee. He did not see the floor after that.

And then Duke proceeded to get housed.

That game was rough for the Blue Devils from the start. They got beat in every single facet. The blowout even furthered my opinion that the Fab Five is a much better group of freshman because when one of them got injured, or in foul trouble, they rallied around each other. Zion being out 33 seconds in, and then Duke getting beat by 16 points, proves that this current Duke team is a one man team, and that man is Zion. They go as he goes, and when he is out, they struggle.

But, more to my point, the NCAA is a travesty, and the NBA needs to fix the whole "one and done" thing. I have despised "one and done" forever, making it very clear here at SeedSing. The NBA needs to do what the MLB does and let these kids get drafted right out of high school, and if they don't get picked, then they have the option to go to college for 2 years before getting back in the draft. As of right now, Zion has a "mild knee sprain", is the best case that Duke and the NBA could have hoped for. But still, he has a knee injury. That is rough, especially for a kid that is playing college basketball for free, while making his school, and his coach, millions upon millions of dollars.

I have heard a lot of people on podcasts and TV today give their take on what they would do if they were Zion Williamson, and I am no different. If I were him, I would not suit up for another game the rest of the season. This has nothing to do with my hatred for Duke, or the fact that I despise "one and done", this has to do with this kid's earning ability at the next level. As I said, he is a supernova, and he is in very, very high demand. He is going to make huge bank when he gets in the league. He is going to sign a major shoe deal. He is going to sell tons of jerseys and he will be a big time get for endorsement deals. But right now, all he is doing is possibly injuring himself and making zero dollars. I'm sure he enjoys playing college ball, and dominating. He is a beast. But now, after what happened last night, I personally think he should just shut it down.

I know it is hard to tell an athlete that they cannot play. But, the NCAA is a viciously flawed company, and the way they are taking advantage of this teenager is gross. Now I don't know if he is going to be a star. He could be the next Shawn Kemp or Charles Barkley, or he could be the next Sam Bowie. He is a very big dude, both in height and weight, and knee injuries are tough to get back from. So why risk further injury playing basketball for free. I talked to my dad and told him that I am sure Zion is being taken care of someway, but his big time, for real payday, is coming, and coming soon. I just don't want this kid to really hurt himself by playing in college. College was a waste for him. I heard Boogie Cousins talk today about his experience with college basketball, and he called it bull shit. I totally agree with him.

So Zion, think about your professional future and your earning potential. Shut this nonsense down. You do not need to play college basketball anymore. You have already proven yourself and then some. Shut it down and get ready for the pros. It is the best thing you could do.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet. 

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Duke is Really, Really, Good

To keep my mind off the election stuff last night I decided to watch basketball. The college season tipped off officially last night and it was a very good distraction.

I watched the KU-Michigan State game. That was fine. KU looks pretty good, but MSU kept it closer than I thought. I watched Michigan play. It was their opener, they looked very sloppy and sluggish on offense, but that defense was as stifling as it was last year, and that was more than enough to beat an overmatched Norfolk State team. I checked in on a few other college games, watched a little NBA, but the game I wanted to watch most, even over Michigan, was the Duke-Kentucky game.

This was, by far, the best matchup of the night. It was supposed to be a close, tight game. There were as many as 7 potential first round picks playing in this game. It was Coach K versus Coach Cal, the two biggest "one and done" guys. It had all the build up. Then, the game happened.

Look, I loathe Duke. I despise Duke. I cannot stand Coach K, and everything he gets away with that other coaches get hammered for. I have never, ever liked this school. But holy shit do they look like they are going to be really, really, really good.

Duke didn't just beat Kentucky last night, they embarrassed them. I turned on the game a little late, Michigan was finishing up their win, and Duke was already up double figures. I was interested in all these freshman playing, but I had to see Zion Williamson. I also wanted to see Cam Reddish and RJ Barrett. These are 3 of the top 5 players in last year's recruiting pass. As I stated in my preseason preview, I have not seen a freshman class this good since the Fab Five at Michigan. They also have Tre Jones, who is, quietly, a great point guard. These kids all lived up to the hype, and then some. I know, this is one game, but it was against the preseason number 2 team, at a neutral site with players that were ranked just as high. And Duke won by 34 points. I mean, holy cow. Zion Williamson, at least last night, was as advertised. He is humongous, but extremely agile and moves pretty smooth on the floor. He also hammers the hell out of the rim. He finished with 28 points. Cam Reddish looked great. He scored the quietest 22 points, on only 14 shots. He also D'ed up very well. RJ Barrett scored 33, a freshman record at Duke. He seemingly could not miss. He is as pure a scorer as I have seen in college basketball. Tre Jones is the leader at point guard that this team needs. I know he is a freshman, but he seems wise beyond his years on the court. These 4 played so well it cancelled out anything the super freshman that Kentucky had. I don't remember a thing about them last night. This is the number 2 team in the nation. And Duke just destroyed them.

I know it's just one game, the first game, and there is a lot of season left and maybe Duke was just super gassed up, and the ACC is very tough. But, this team looked as impressive a college team that I have seen in quite some time. This is a whole thing of, I despise this team, I hope they get beat every time they step on the floor, I will constantly root against them, but they look nearly unbeatable. They are so talented and look like they can win anyway they please. If one of these kids has an off night, they have 3 others that can step up. They also have depth. I believe that I picked them to finish second in the ACC, but that changes immediately after last night. They should win the ACC. They should win it with ease. UNC may challenge them, but I do not think they can beat them one time, let alone 3 times.

After the amount of games that I saw bits and pieces of last night, Duke is clearly the best team. KU is the only other team that I think has a fleeting shot at giving them a game. I hope they get sanctioned to shit, but for right now, after last night, Duke is scarily good. They look like the Alabama, or New England Patriots or Golden State Warriors of college basketball. Unfortunately the hype seems to be legit.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet. 

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