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Zion Williamson proves he's a must-see player in Duke debut

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Remember when rookie Blake Griffin threw the ball through the rim while posterizing Timofey Mozgov? Zion Williamson is on that level.

The Duke freshman is that once-in-a-decade athlete who seems able to manipulate the laws of physics. Think Charles Barkley with Dominique Wilkins' dunk package. This 285-pound man-child boasts a 45-inch vertical that allows him to touch the top of the backboard, and he's no prototypical stiff dunker - Williamson pairs superhuman athleticism with the nifty skill set of a point forward.

The story heading into Duke's preseason debut in Mississauga, Ontario, on Wednesday was the homecoming of R.J. Barrett, the No. 1 high school recruit who became a Canadian icon after toppling Team USA in the U-19 championships. Barrett poured in 34 points to lead all scorers, but spectators left raving about Williamson's unbelievable display.

Jump-out-the-gym athleticism

The crowd started buzzing five minutes into the first quarter. After Ryerson guard Jayden Frederick beat Barrett at the basket with a slick Eurostep, Williamson came out of nowhere for the rejection, getting so high that he had to tuck his head to avoid banging it off the backboard.

The play was ruled a goaltend, but Williamson had no business being able to challenge the shot at all, as Frederick floated his layup well above the square.

Williamson eventually brought the house down with a vicious putback on the cusp of halftime. Ryerson's defenders were caught out of position on an offensive rebound, giving Williamson an open runway for another highlight play. He took off from the edge of the paint for a ferocious lefty flush.

None of this necessarily surprised the thousands of Duke fans in attendance, as they were probably among the 1.5 million viewers that peeped Williamson's legendary high school mixtape. But there's a particular thrill to seeing him live, even collecting routine rebounds. Seeing someone that big get up that high leaves you questioning how it's possible.

Powerful perimeter game

More impressive than the dunks was the completeness of Williamson's game. Beyond heavily favoring his dominant left hand, he didn't show any obvious flaws, and proved capable of both power and grace, depending on what the situation called for.

Power is all he'll need against most defenders. Williamson is more than capable of blowing up the line like a running back before muscling his way to the rim. On the play below, he gets through three defenders - including 7-foot-2 Ryerson center Tanor Ngom - on a hard drive to the basket.

Sometimes just the threat of power is enough. Defenders scrambled to get out of Williamson's way on his drives for fear of ending up on a highlight. On the play below, Ryerson guard Yusuf Ali wisely fled instead of taking a charge on someone double his weight.

Williamson can also contort himself to avoid contact. He showed off his body control on a drive in the first quarter where he got around Ngom's spindly arms by hanging in the air for a windmill layup.

His perimeter skills would be impressive for a freshman guard, let alone someone who could conceivably play center in Duke's closing lineups. Williamson's low handle gets him where he needs to go, and it's hard to poke the ball away from him since he's so strong. Even in tight quarters, he's able to spin and dribble his way through traffic.

His perimeter skills would be impressive for a freshman guard, let alone someone who could conceivably play center in Duke's closing lineups. Williamson's low handle gets him where he needs to go, and it's hard to poke the ball away from him since he's so strong. Even in tight quarters, he's able to spin and dribble his way through traffic.

Positional flexibility

The challenge for head coach Mike Krzyzewski will be finding enough touches for his incoming superstars. Barrett (No. 1 recruit) and Williamson (No. 2) combined for 53 shots Wednesday, but that number will come down once Cam Reddish (No. 3) and Tre Jones (No. 15) recover from injuries. Those four will need to sacrifice and share the ball to make it work this season.

Williamson is the only one without a defined role. Jones is a pure point guard, Reddish is a 6-foot-6 combo guard that can play on and off the ball, and Barrett is a classic small forward with a knack for getting to the rim. Williamson, meanwhile, can either operate as a stretch-four or a small-ball center.

Fortunately for Krzyzewski, there's no wrong answer. Williamson's skill set allows him to play either position; he can protect the rim and control the glass like a center, but he can also grab rebounds and lead the break like a guard. He can camp out in the dunker spot to finish lobs or hunt for putbacks, and he can also make plays from the perimeter.

And Williamson's improved jumper is promising no matter what position he plays. He hit 3-of-4 triples in catch-and-shoot scenarios Wednesday and was lights out during warmups. He's not at the point where he can pull up off the dribble, but his form is solid and his confidence is high. Defenders will have to respect the shot, which will open driving lanes for his teammates.

NBA scouts will be more intrigued if Williamson is capable of playing center. There's nothing wrong with being a dynamic forward in the mold of Griffin or Aaron Gordon, but a hyperathletic small-ball center who can play like a guard would be truly unique, and having all those qualities would make Williamson a lock for the first overall pick.

As things stand, though, Williamson might be drafted at No. 1 regardless of his position. Basketball is about star power, after all, and Williamson is this collegiate season's must-see show.

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