Duke Blue Devils superstar forward Zion Williamson was named Sporting News' Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year for the 2018-19 college basketball season on Tuesday.
Williamson, who's missed the team's last five games after suffering a mild knee sprain less than a minute into Duke's clash with the rival North Carolina Tar Heels on Feb. 20, had his case bolstered by the Blue Devils' mundane performance without him in the lineup, per Mike DeCourcy of Sporting News.
"Zion has played with a captivating, infectious zeal that endeared him not only to coaches, teammates and Duke fans, but also to professional scouts eager to employ him and agency representatives who flocked to his games," DeCourcy wrote.