Host Danny Leroux (@DannyLeroux) and draft expert Sam Vecenie of The Athletic (@Sam_Vecenie) catch up on 2019 NBA Draft prospects.
They discuss Zion Williamson’s injury and decision, the impact on his Duke teammates, Sam’s big new project, the 2019 offseason and more.
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Zion Williamson has been diagnosed with a Grade 1 right knee sprain.
Williamson will be day-to-day.
Williamson suffered the injury during the opening minute of Duke's loss on Wednesday to North Carolina.
The NBA has formally submitted a proposal to the NBPA to lower the draft-eligible age to 18 from 19.
The NBPA and its executive director, Michele Roberts, planned to review the proposal Monday at a post-All-Star weekend meeting in the Bahamas.
Adam Silver is on record saying the current 19-year-old age limit is not working for the league or college basketball.
The rule change will likely take effect by the 2022 NBA Draft, which would give most teams ample time to prepare for the effects of the change.
The Oklahoma City Thunder were "especially interested" in drafting Khris Middleton at the 2012 NBA Draft.
The Thunder instead selected Perry Jones III at No. 28 with Middleton going 39th overall to the Detroit Pistons.
Oklahoma City traded away James Harden several months later.
Zion Williamson suffered a mild knee sprain after blowing out his shoe 36 seconds into a rivalry game against UNC. Duke lost the game 88-72.
Mike Kzryzewski said Williamson's knee was stable, and that the team would provide a timetable for his recovery on Thursday.
Williamson was wearing a pair of Nike PG 2.5's, Paul George's signature sneaker from last fall, during the blowout.
Ticket prices for Wednesday's game between Duke and North Carolina have reached amounts typically reserved for Super Bowls.
The cheapest available tickets for Cameron Indoor Stadium is $2,500.
One ticket to this week's UNC-Duke game sold for $10,652, per Vivid Seats.
Duke is ranked No. 1 while North Carolina ranks No. 8 with the presence of Zion Williamson, R.J. Barrett and Cam Reddish adding more intrigue to the rivalry game.
"Between Zion Williamson, a No. 1 ranking and this being one of the biggest rivalries in sports, there's intense demand," TickPick marketing strategist Kyle Zorn said. "There's also a limited supply of inventory, which is having a major effect on price. Cameron Indoor Stadium has 13 percent the seating capacity of Mercedes-Benz Stadium. When you factor in that the floor seating is reserved for students, you're left with a short supply -- and massive demand."
Travis Schlenk said that the Atlanta Hawks were going to draft Luka Doncic had they kept the 3rd pick in last year's draft.
"Not a lot of people know this...if we stayed at 3, we would have taken Luka. We had worked with his agent, he did a physical with us that morning in New York...but then Dallas came in an hour or so before the draft. I told them all along that it would take another lottery pick for us to slide back, and that's when the conversations got started," Schlenk stated on Adrian Wojnarowski's podcast.
The deal to move back two spots and receive a top-5 protected pick from the Mavs this season was influenced by analytics.
"Our analytics staff was predicting Dallas to finish 8th this year," added Schlenk.
Anthony Edwards has committed to Georgia.
Edwards is ranked as the No. 5 prospect in the incoming class of 2019. In a recent ESPN mock draft for 2020, Edwards is selected No. 2 behind Jaden McDaniels.
"The reason I picked the University of Georgia is because it's my home school," Edwards told ESPN's Paul Biancardi. "I want to put the state school back on the basketball map. Tom Crean is a great dude, and I believe in him coaching me and developing me. On my visit we watched film together, and he talks with so much energy."
Scottie Pippen told ESPN he thought that Zion Williamson was the best NBA prospect since Michael Jordan.
Pippen added that Williamson is a game-changer whose physicality reminded him of Charles Barkley.
“I think he’s going to be a different player. I think he’s going to be a game-changer. And we’re going to see something special out of this kid. I think he’s sort of the Charles Barkley throwback that you’re not going to be able to match up with him, in terms of meeting his physicality that he’s going to bring to the game,” said Pippen.
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