AP Photo/Gerry BroomeAfter missing six games due to an injury tied to his bizarre shoe explosion, Zion Williamson will be back on the court for Duke on Thursday.AP Photo/Gerry Broome- Announcing the news on Instagram, Duke appeared to reveal that Williamson will be wearing a different type of Nike shoe in his return.
Zion Williamson is back.
After missing six games due to his bizarre shoe explosion in the opening seconds of Duke's game against North Carolina, Williamson will be back on the court for the Blue Devils on Thursday night as they take on Syracuse in the ACC tournament.
Read more: Wild photos show Zion Williamson's shoe after it exploded and he injured his kneeAnnouncing Williamson's return on Instagram, the Duke men's basketball account also appeared to reveal one notable change for their superstar - his footwear.
Williamson is seen here lacing up the Nike Kyrie 4s. This is a switch change from what Williamson was wearing on the day of his now infamous shoe explosion - Paul George's signature shoe, the PG 2.5s.
It's no surprise that Williamson is switching out his kicks - had he put on another pair of PG 2.5s, Duke fans across the country would have likely been holding their collective breath until March Madness was over.
However, the decision that Williamson chose to return to the court at all was a surprise to some in the sports world.
After Williamson's injury, some suggested he sit out the remainder of the season, as he had already done enough to be widely considered the top overall pick in the NBA draft, and any more time on the court could mean another injury that potentially damaged his earnings as a professional.But Williamson has decided to come back and finish out the season with the Blue Devils. Currently ranked fifth in the nation, a win at the ACC tournament could be enough to vault Duke back into a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament.
With Williamson back in the starting five, it's tough to doubt the Blue Devils.
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