By ADAM ZAGORIA
The Zion Williamson Sweepstakes will come to a close on Saturday night on ESPN2.
An ESPN spokesman told ZAGSBLOG Williamson is expected to announce his college choice at about 8:15 ET from the gym at Spartanburg Day School (S.C.).
Williamson chose this day to announce in honor of his mother’s birthday.
It will mark the second straight Saturday night that ESPN has showcased Williamson. He went off for 36 points last Saturday in a 70-64 loss to Chino Hills in a Hoophall Classic game shown nationally on ESPN.
This past week he was named to the Hoophall All-Tournament Team and then the McDonald’s All-American Game.
Despite barely playing in a month Zion Williamson is not disappointing tonight on ESPN. pic.twitter.com/UCVsYrUQ5J
— Adam Zagoria (@AdamZagoria) January 14, 2018
The 6-foot-6, 270-pound power forward is considering Clemson, South Carolina, Kentucky, Duke, Kansas and North Carolina. Clemson currently holds 88 percent of the picks in the 247 Crystal Ball, and the buzz at the Hoophall was mostly about Clemson, where Williamson’s stepfather, Lee Anderson, attended.
“The last time I checked, my recruitment was still wide open, but yeah — I’m still considering everybody, just listening to their final messages and what they have to tell me,” he told postandcourier.com.
Head coaches from Duke, North Carolina, South Carolina and Clemson met with Williamson this week, 247Sports.com reported.
“South Carolina is my home,” Williamson told ESPN. “South Carolina is not really known for basketball, and I don’t really like that. I feel like we can be known for football and basketball.
“I’m still considering both in-state schools. If I don’t decide to stay in-state, it’s nothing against South Carolina or Clemson.”
Williamson is the projected No. 2 pick in the 2019 NBA Draft per ESPN.com behind Duke-bound wing R.J. Barrett, who will play with Williamson in the McDonald’s Game.
Both Barrett and Kentucky-bound point guard Immanuel Quickley told ZAGSBLOG they hoped Williamson would join them in college.
“Yeah, for sure, try to get him to come to Duke,” Barrett said.“I mean, we’ll have No. 1, No. 2, No. 3 and No. [10] so that says it all right there.”
Quickley said Kentucky could win a national championship with Williamson.
“If he came to Kentucky?” he said. “I think we could win a national championship. With him, he’s a monster on offense and defense so that just makes it easier for everybody else.”
Still, it remains possible Williamson could stay home and play for Clemson or South Carolina as well
“Oh yeah, that’s my bro and I’ve been with him all summer so if he stays home I’ll understand,” Quickley said. “Clemson’s about an hour from his home, you can’t be mad at somebody going to college an hour away.”
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