No Zion to New York Knicks is a personal victory
With the 2019 NBA Draft Lottery now in the books, we know that Zion Williamson will not be drafted by the New York Knicks. For me, that is a good thing.
In a family of New York Knicks fans, I have always been the odd one out. Since I was five years old I have been a Miami Heat fan, I knew nothing about the NBA and when my mom got me a Shaquille O’Neal Heat jersey. It was settled, I was and still am, a Miami Heat fan.
In addition to this, I have been a Duke Blue Devils fan for as long as I can remember. So, I’ve gotten my fair share of hate. I moved just south of Charlotte, North Carolina from Long Island, New York when I was 12.
Now unless you live in North Carolina I don’t think you truly understand the Duke/UNC rivalry. It is not only UNC fans who hate Duke, but it’s also the entire state of North Carolina. That same state of North Carolina is made up of about 75 percent University of North Carolina Tar Heels fans.
Whether it be their parents went there, they went there, they had a 13th cousin who went there, or whatever it may be, everyone is a Carolina fan for whatever reason.
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The other 25 percent is made up of Duke fans, North Carolina State fans, Clemson fans, South Carolina fans and some other, smaller schools here and there. None of these fanbases have anything in common, except for their hate of Duke.
Among those who hate Duke is everyone in my family. Now, that may partially be my fault as I am known to be a rather obnoxious Duke fan. Every time Duke loses, I get the worst of it, one year my house was toilet papered because Duke lost in the tournament.
So how does my life story have anything to do with the New York Knicks, you ask?
Well here’s the thing, with my entire family hating Duke and everyone that plays for Duke, it would have been very hard for me to see one of my favorite players to ever suit up in a Duke jersey, Zion Williamson, put on the New York Knicks orange and blue, the team my family loves and the team I hate.
Zion Williamson is someone I have followed since his sophomore year in high school, I have spent hundreds of dollars to see him play, I have driven hundreds of miles to see him play and I also had the pleasure of interviewing him. To see him, a guy my family didn’t like simply because of the four letters he wore on his chest for only one season, bring them joy would’ve been rough.
So I owe a thank you to Duke alum and NBA Commissioner, Adam Silver for not doing away with the horrible system that is the NBA Draft Lottery. It is a horrendous system that in many ways doesn’t allow horrible teams to improve, but in this case, I am thankful for it.
Checkered flag expected for Mets, but the engine light is on. dark. Next
Sorry New York Knicks fans, but I am glad you won’t get the chance to buy a Zion Williamson Knicks jersey, Go Heat.