Duke forward Zion Williamson declares for 2019 NBA Draft

Duke forward and the overwhelming favorite to go No. 1 in the 2019 NBA Draft Zion Williamson declared for the draft on Monday.

 

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🔵Thank you Duke🔵#thebrotherhood

A post shared by Zion Williamson (@zionlw10) on Apr 15, 2019 at 2:43pm PDT

Williamson is highly thought of in NBA Draft circles, seen as one of the best prospects the process has seen in the last 25 years.

The 18-year-old freshman averaged 22.6 points, 8.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 2.1 steals and 1.8 blocks per game on an absurd 68 percent field goal shooting.

Per Sports-Reference, Williamson is the third player in its database to post at least 20 points per game and 65 percent shooting from the field, joining Michael Beasley and Blake Griffin. Beasley was a junior while Griffin achieved it in his sophomore season.

With the qualifier of 22 points and eight rebounds per game as a freshman while being a first-round NBA Draft prospect, Williamson joins Beasley, Carmelo Anthony and Kevin Durant.

Williamson and Nerlens Noel are the only freshmen in its database to produce Williamson’s block and steal averages.

The world finds out where Williamson will very likely start his NBA career on May 14 for the NBA’s Draft Lottery. The Phoenix Suns share the same best-possible odds at the No. 1 pick of 14 percent with the New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers.

The NBA Draft is on June 20.

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