In 2019, some of us had a premonition of what was to come. We all knew Zion Williamson from his sensational social media posts, but no one had ever seen him play basketball at the college level. We all knew he was not only big, but also freakishly athletic. Few realized he had the skills to be a guard and could essentially play any position on the court.
There will be a lesson for everyone in the collegiate opener against Kentucky.
The next morning, Williamson was the talk of the nation. He hit a three-pointer early in the game and ultimately dominated Kentucky. It wasn’t just his scoring that impressed me. It was his rebounding, his passing and the sense that he was on a different level, both athletically and with the basketball, than anyone we’d seen in years.
This was really highlighted on one play in the second half when Williamson took the ball away from the shooter on a Kentucky shot near the basket. There’s no other way to put it.
But what made this one special was the bounce pass he made through the traffic to Tre Jones for a layup.
It was the kind of play we’d see from Larry Bird or Magic Johnson, and certainly not what you’d expect from a freshman playing his first college game.
This video is the full game so enjoy.