(CBS Sports Radio) -- No. 8 North Carolina stunned No. 1 Duke, 88-72, at Cameron Indoor Stadium on Wednesday, but the story of the game came less than a minute after tip-off.
Zion Williamson, arguably the best player in the country, dribbled and planted. Then his shoe exploded. Then he fell to the court and grabbed his knee.
It was a jarring image of the presumptive No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft.
"It's unfortunate for the game of basketball," WFNZ Charlotte Mack Attack Morning Show co-host Travis Hancock said on "After Hours with Amy Lawrence."
"Remove your fandom aside. That was such a special showcase for the sport because of Zion last night, one of the most hyped-up players we've ever seen in our lifetime, and for him to play 30 seconds, I thought it was bad for the sport. It's unfortunate. We saw something that we've literally never seen happen before to a player like that."
Mike Krzyzewski said after the game that Williamson suffered a mild knee sprain. The injury, however, could have been far worse – and prompted many to suggest that Williamson should sit out the rest of the season to protect his draft stock – and future millions.
Hancock doesn't see that happening.
"I think he can be back relatively soon," Hancock said. "I think he will be back – because that's just Zion's mentality. He's not going to leave his friends and the brotherhood, so to speak. If he can go, he's going to play. He said two days ago that even if he was allowed to go pro straight from high school, he still would have played college basketball. He's a different cat in that regard, so I do think if he can play and he's good to go, I don't think Zion is going to leave his teammates hanging like that."
Duke looked lost without Williamson. R.J. Barrett and Cam Reddish combined for 60 of Duke's 72 points, but the rest of the team shot just 4-of-27 (.148) from the floor. Duke (23-3) shot 8-of-39 (20.5 percent) from distance.
"It was awful to watch," Hancock said. "They were completely undone, and they played like a freshman team. Of course Zion is a freshman, but he plays so far above his first year that he's almost like a veteran. Way too many 3-pointers for a team that doesn't shoot the 3 well."
