NBA Draft 2019: It’s time for Zion Williamson to prepare for the draft

After sustaining an injury against North Carolina, it might be time for Zion Williamson to shift his focus to preparing for the 2019 NBA Draft

Wednesday night, Zion Williamson gave the world a scare in the Duke-North Carolina game, going down 36 seconds into the game blowing through his shoe; literally blew through his shoe.

It was one of those moments where everyone is in awe, even former President Obama. Shortly after the injury Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell and most of Twitter started tweeting out to the NCAA that players should be paid.

While everyone has their opinions and valid points too, Mitchell is right in the fact that if Zion was almost any other player, his NBA future could be in doubt depending on the seriousness of the injury.

Williamson has an $8 million insurance plan (according to Darren Rovell) only if he falls past No. 16 in the NBA Draft, which would never ever ever ever…happen.

College football players are sitting out bowl games in order to preserve their draft stock and futures. It’s something that Zion has the power to translate to the college basketball game.

It was Kyrie Irving that did it in 2010-11 and Michael Porter Jr. last season. Irving played the first eight games for Duke, then sat out with an injury until the NCAA Tournament. Porter Jr. missed the entire regular season, playing only in the SEC Tournament and Missouri’s first-round loss in the NCAA Tournament.

Say Zion’s injury is that severe; sitting out has worked in the NBA. Look at Philadelphia 76ers’ Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons; both were NBA All-Stars this season.

Porter Jr. is going through a similar process as the 76ers stars with the Denver Nuggets. He was drafted No. 8 overall and hasn’t touched the floor due to the same back injury suffered while at Missouri. It will likely keep him out his entire rookie year.

Porter Jr. will earn over $2.89 million this season. Simmons earned $5.9 million his rookie season, and Embiid made a whopping $25.46 million being the No. 1 pick and agreeing to the designated max rookie deal.

Bottom line, even if Zion doesn’t play this year or even next year, he will be the No. 1 pick in the NBA no matter what team is in position to take the superstar.

Unless Zion wants his legacy to include winning a National Championship or the one-time experience of playing in March Madness’; it is time to prepare for the NBA.