Well here ya go - -for what it's worth
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Just read quite the article about Zion Williamson. Written by Ben Roberts of the Herald Leader. - he got with 5 recruiting analysts:- - Rivals , Cory Evans , Scouts , Evan Daniels , ESPN , Jeff Borzello , & Jerry Meyer & Andrew Slater of 247 sports to weigh in where they they thought Zion’s 3 most likely landing spots they are as follows: # 5 - -South Carolina : They didn’t muster much -still enough to land # 5 ahead of North Carolina -and UCLA - - little chance here. – # 4 Duke: Kryzewski’s pitch? - - -K would play Williamson like he did LeBron in the 2012 Olympics- - Williamson clearly interested in Duke. Nearly landed to the # 3 on this list - -one picked them as high as # 2 but Duke has some ground to make up.- - - - - - -# 3 KU ( surprises me here) -Writer states bit of a surprise.
Stating as the summer wrapped up recruitment was being shaped up as a likely KU-UK battle. Not only did the Jayhawks not finish in the top 2 among our experts , they were much closer to the # 4 then the 2 spot. - -In fact 3 of the analysts left KU off their lists all together. - - -WTF?
Williamson played summer ball on the Adidas circuit & KU is a premier Adidas School. KU has also been seen as the favorite for highly touted PG Devon Dotson a friend of Williamson. Jayhawks will get a chance to host Williamson for an official next weekend but according to the experts we asked - - KU’S stock has fallen off sharply in his recruitment. # 2 Clemson. The Biggest surprise, all five Analysts mentioned Clemson one of them had Clemson # 1 Step father was a former Clemson Basket Ball player. - Serious threat to land one of the lands top players - Of course we know who they picked for # 1. - -
SO guess we can move on from him - -ROCK CHALK ALL DAY LONG BABY
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Zion is from Spartanburg, South Carolina (born in North Carolina) so the local schools. South Carolina and Clemson which are 90 and 60 miles from his home, got complimentary visits. Also, Williamson’s step father played for Clemson.
Most (not all) kids want to go away from home for college and both of the local schools are way too close and except for last year’s NCAA run, neither program has been particularly successful recently. It will come down to KU and UK.
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This is a show-me-the-money scenario. Adidas vs. Nike. He is the type of kid, much like Wiggins, that endorsement deals are talked about before he steps on the court. If Adidas ponies up, he is KU bound. If Nike ponies up, I suspect that he will end up wherever Barrett isn’t. Although, Duke has already landed Reddish so neither Barrett or Zion may choose Duke. Would mean UK lands Barrett and Zion more likely than not will want to get paid and be featured and will end up at KU.
Guys this big, recruiting analysts don’t know squat about them. Too much going on behind the scenes and so much can change so fast. I will say, if Zion doesn’t end up at an Adidas school, I’ll be shocked.
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Certain kids like being hometown heroes. Zion certainly would be if he chose either in-state school. Perhaps that matters to him. Maybe it doesn’t. Hard to really say without knowing the kid personally. Is he a Perry Ellis type that always wanted to go to a certain school?
He would definitely be a big time get for either in-state program and could be a package to draw more local talent into those programs. Frank Martin is really building something at South Carolina and could make them a player in the SEC if he can get the support. A guy like Zion would alter the trajectory of that program.
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You might be unto something with the Frank Martin effect?
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@JayHawkFanToo Clemson does have a lot of national attention due to winning the FB championship game. Might be fun for Zion to accept a challenge to put Clemson on the national scene in basketball. Not predictin’ it will happen–just sayin’ it makes more sense than the normal local school scenario.
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As per KenPom, Clemson finished last season ranked #45; only OU at #65 and Texas at #70 from the Big 12 finished lower and both are expected to be much improved the upcoming season.
National titles for Alabama and the OSU did not do much for their basketball programs.
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@justanotherfan The article stated that if Zion stayed in the state local - -wasn’t going to be at South Carolina but other in state school - -which means more then likely Clemson. - - -ROCK CHALK ALL DAY LONG BABY
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@JayHawkFanToo Not relevant to my suggestion of why Zion might choose Clemson, unless those programs were trying to get in-state recruits of his caliber who went elsewhere. If so, I must have missed them.
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His stepdad went to Clemson, so that was always a possibility. His biological father went to NC State, for whatever that’s worth.
Frank Martin has really turned South Carolina around. Looking at their basketball history, this is the most successful period in the last 40 or so years. South Carolina is further along as a program than Clemson is, so if Zion wanted to be a hometown hero and play winning ball, South Carolina is probably his best bet.
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The word around the AAU scene during the summer was the Zion family wasn’t on board with Clemson’s coach. There’s no telling if that guys job is safe if they miss the tournament again. With Zion waiting until spring most likely that could be something to watch if Clemson gets another coach they will like.
I just can’t see him him staying in-state but anything could happen. KU needs to put on a show for him next weekend.
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After winning the title in 2014 Ohio State was after nationally ranked players Ivan Rabb, Jaylen Brown, Cheick Diallo (remember him?), Thomas Bryant and point guard Isaiah Briscoe…it got none of the above; granted, I am not sure if any was from Ohio which is know for developing football more so than basketball players, although KU did get Carlton Bragg from Ohio. One top player that was from Ohio is Luke Kennard, the top player in Ohio that year who chose Duke instead. BTW, Thad Matta was fired earlier this year.
Alabama got two top 50 players #4 Collin Sexton and #34 John Petty for the 2017 class…AFTER it lost to Clemson in the title game. Before that and after winning 4 titles in the last 8 years, the only top 50 player I can remember is Terrance Ferguson who also committed to Arizona and ended up playing overseas anyway.
The only school that had champions in football and basketball in the same season recently is Florida and that was while back, and after Donovan left it has not been the same. The success was not due to the success of the other sport but having great coaches in both programs.
