Thirty seconds into his team’s game against the North Carolina Tar Heels on Wednesday night, Duke Blue Devils star Zion Williamson suffered an injury on what appeared to be a freak play.
In fact, Williamson headed to the locker room after literally blowing through his shoe.
https://twitter.com/Sportsnaut/status/1098405460065964032
There’s no concrete word on how serious the injury is. But Duke did rule Williamson out for the remainder of the game with a knee injury.
UPDATE: Zion Williamson will not return. Knee.
— Duke Men’s Basketball (@DukeMBB) February 21, 2019
Williamson is considered the No. 1 overall player heading into the 2019 NBA Draft. There had been some suggestion that he should shut it down and prepare for the draft. This might expedite things in that regard.
As it is, the sports world reacted in shocking fashion while wishing Zion the best.
Hope young fella is ok! Literally blew thru his 👟. 🙏🏾
— LeBron James (@KingJames) February 21, 2019
It’s moments like that that always remind me college players don’t get paid. It doesn’t look serious this time and we all hope Zion is okay and healthy…but what if it was worse? Just 36 seconds into a game he could have been seriously hurt. And then what?
— Taylor Rooks (@TaylorRooks) February 21, 2019
https://twitter.com/coolghost101/status/1098408425208242176
Duke fans after seeing Zion head into the locker room: #UNCvsDuke pic.twitter.com/OhHsQZBoO1
— Matt (@MattKentra) February 21, 2019
Nike Exec watching Zion blow out his Nike shoes on national TV. pic.twitter.com/X2GrLb7oW7
— Jeff or Jeffrey Fann (@TalkinACCSports) February 21, 2019
Oh. My. Goodness. Zion Williamson just broke his shoe.
HE… BROKE… HIS… SHOE!!! pic.twitter.com/gE3LdDvKTf
— Aaron Torres (@Aaron_Torres) February 21, 2019
Worst Nike shoe malfunction since Eliud Kipchoge missed a record in the Berlin Marathon in 2015 after the insoles fell out of his shoes. Nike said they were prototypes. Doesn’t compare to the stage that the Zion malfunction was just on. pic.twitter.com/WbJyKR2oxU
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) February 21, 2019
Nike head office after Zion ripped through his shoe: pic.twitter.com/Mq1MruBY4R
— The Sporting News (@sportingnews) February 21, 2019