By SEAN BOCK & ADAM ZAGORIA
Duke commit Zion Williamson has a cast on his right thumb after injuring it in the McDonald’s All-American game on March 28 and will miss the Jordan Brand Classic on Sunday in Brooklyn.
Williamson was tripped up by North Carolina signee Nassir Little on a drive to the basket in the fourth quarter and used his right hand to brace his fall, which caused the injury.
Williamson’s future teammate and Gatorade and Naismith National Player of the Year R.J. Barrett is not in Brooklyn and is resting. The two other Duke signees, Cam Reddish and Tre Jones, will participate in the Classic.
Barrett, Williamson, and Reddish are the top three picks in the latest ESPN 2019 NBA Mock Draft. NBA personnel will only get to see one of Duke’s top three incoming recruits.
Syracuse signee Jalen Carey will also miss the game with a sprained finger. Syracuse went from two recruits in the game to zero with the injury of Carey and the news of Darius Bazley taking his talents to the G-League.
In addition to Williamson, Barrett, and Carey, Louis King (Oregon), and Simi Shittu (Vanderbilt) will not suit up for the game due to injuries. Both also did not play in the McDonald’s game.
Kentucky signee Keldon Johnson also sat out Saturday’s practice with an ankle injury suffered during last week’s Geico High School Nationals in Queens. He will be a game-time decision for Sunday, his father, Chris, told ZAGSBLOG.
Simi, Zion, Louis King and Jalen Carey all injured for the @JordanClassic pic.twitter.com/AvU8ROL6OL
— Adam Zagoria (@AdamZagoria) April 7, 2018
The game will be televised live at 5 p.m. on ESPN2, with a replay set for 9:30 p.m. Sunday on ESPNU.
