Friday 21 June 2019 18:50, UK
Zion Williamson has explained his emotional reaction to being selected with the first pick in the 2019 NBA Draft was down to his "love" of basketball.
To the surprise of nobody, Williamson was the No 1 pick of the New Orleans Pelicans. But afterwards he could not hide his emotions, even though he along with everyone else knew what would happen on Thursday night.
The 6ft 7in, 285 pounder compiled a career worth of highlights into just one season, establishing himself as the most exciting draft prospect since LeBron James entered the league in 2003.
"Because I love the game of basketball," Williamson said, when asked about his reaction.
"You can hear people say things like, 'oh, that it was likely I was going to go number one.' But I guess you don't know until you actually go through it.
"Hearing my name called and I was able to make it on stage without a tear, shake the commissioner's hand, but in the interview my mom was standing beside me, and my emotions just took over."
Williamson's performances for Duke made him a favourite of college basketball fans, but his game is more than just dunks. The 18-year-old averaged 22.6 points and 8.9 rebounds while shooting 68 per cent from the field.
Williamson will step into an open position in New Orleans after the Pelicans recently agreed to trade All-Star Anthony Davis to the Los Angeles Lakers.
"I'm going to do anything to win. I'm just going to do anything to win," Williamson said.
The Memphis Grizzlies also quickly addressed a positional need by taking Murray State's Ja Morant with the No 2 pick. The Grizzlies agreed to trade Mike Conley, their long-time point guard, to the Utah Jazz a day earlier.
They picked up a good replacement in Morant, who led Division I with 10 assists per game as a sophomore while averaging 24.5 points.
"I have some big shoes to fill in Mike Conley," Morant said.
"He's a great player. I wish him the best.
"Like I said before, it just means the Grizzlies see a lot in me."
RJ Barrett then made it two Duke freshmen within the top-three picks when the New York Knicks took the guard who actually edged out Williamson to lead the Atlantic Coast Conference in scoring.
Knicks fans hoped they would get Williamson after finishing with the worst record in the league but seemed happy to end up with Barrett, loudly cheering and chanting "RJ! RJ!" when the pick was announced.
"That was great," Barrett said. "I'm glad that the city wants me here as much as I want to be here."
Duke ended with three players in the top 10 as Cam Reddish went 10th to the Hawks, making the Blue Devils the only team to pull off that feat since Florida placed Al Horford third, Corey Brewer seventh and Joakim Noah ninth after winning the 2007 national championship.
