Gerry Broome/Associated Press
Duke superstar freshman Zion Williamson reportedly has an $8 million loss of value insurance policy in case of significant injury.
According to Darren Rovell of The Action Network, Williamson cannot collect on the policy unless he slips past the No. 16 overall pick in the 2019 NBA draft, however. Rovell later added that Duke paid for the policy, which is allowed under rule, noting that the “premium for a $8 million loss of value policy runs around $50,000.”
On Wednesday, Williamson left the game in the opening seconds of an 88-72 loss to rival North Carolina after suffering what Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski called a “mild knee sprain.”
Williamson’s injury happened on an awkward play that saw his left Nike shoe fall apart while attempting to plant his foot.
Duke clearly wasn’t the same without Williamson, as it shot just 34.7 percent from the floor and had to lean almost entirely on RJ Barrett and Cam Reddish. Of the 72 points Duke scored in the game, Barrett and Reddish combined for a whopping 60 of them.
Williamson is perhaps the front-runner for Naismith College Player of the Year honors, as he is shooting a remarkable 68.3 percent from the field and averaging 21.6 points, 8.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 2.2 steals and 1.8 blocks per game.
While it is unclear exactly how serious the injury is and how long it will keep him out, Coach K’s comments suggest it won’t be a long-term issue.
Assuming Williamson enters the 2019 NBA draft, the only thing that could cause him to fall out of the top 16 would likely be a career-threatening injury or a significant off-court issue. Because of that, the odds of him collecting on the insurance policy are extremely low.
A back injury limited Michael Porter Jr. to just three games at Missouri last season, and he has yet to appear in an NBA game for the Denver Nuggets this season. Even though there were questions regarding his NBA future at the time of the 2018 draft, Denver still took him with the No. 14 overall pick based on potential alone.
Williamson is a far more highly touted prospect and the likely No. 1 overall pick when healthy, so unless his injury is far more severe than originally thought, the insurance policy shouldn’t come into play.
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