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Commentary: Should Zion play or go?

Williamson chose to go to Duke and embraces playing for Duke.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — When Zion Williamson’s left Nike shoe gave out, the anti-NCAA takes came in hot. And a lot of those arguments are valid.

Let’s get this out of the way first – the NBA’s one-and-done system is not just flawed; it’s wrong. 

It seems obvious to me that any person should be able to go make a living at whatever they're really good at -- regardless of their age or whether they attended college for a year or half a year.

However, Williamson came into that system with full knowledge of how it worked. He could have gone overseas. He could have taken the year off and worked out.

And, by the way, in either of those scenarios, he could have been hurt.

Williamson chose to go to Duke and embraces playing for Duke.

And he likely increased his value by coming to Duke, dominating half a season, becoming a household name and erasing any doubt he's the top pick in the draft -- which he still is.

Duke is reportedly paying for an insurance policy which guarantees Zion $8 million should he fall in the draft due to injury.

Yes, without injury, he stands to make much, much more.

But just as the reward is his, so is the risk.

And here's my point: So is the decision.

It's his. It’s not ours.

Armed with all of the information on how this system works, and what he stands to gain and lose, Williamson has time and time again said he wants to play for Duke and finish the season for Duke.

And we should let him.

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