Zion Williamson and the 20 best one-and-done players of all time

Zion Williamson and the 20 best one-and-done players in college basketball history

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - MARCH 14: Teammates Zion Williamson #1 and RJ Barrett #5 of the Duke Blue Devils react against the Syracuse Orange during their game in the quarterfinal round of the 2019 Men's ACC Basketball Tournament at Spectrum Center on March 14, 2019 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /

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CHARLOTTE, NC – MARCH 20: Kyrie Irving #1 looks over at teammate Seth Curry #30 of the Duke Blue Devils while taking on the Michigan Wolverines during the third round of the 2011 NCAA men’s basketball tournament at Time Warner Cable Arena on March 20, 2011 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /

19. Kyrie Irving, Duke, 2010-2011

Of all the one-and-dones on this list, Kyrie Irving is here almost purely based on his pro career. Irving spent one season at Duke but ended up playing in only 11 games due to a severe toe injury that kept him out from December until the NCAA Tournament. Irving was great when he played, averaging 17.5 points per game for the Blue Devils, including 28 in Duke’s Sweet 16 loss to Arizona.

After the season, Irving declared for the NBA Draft and was taken first overall by Cleveland, becoming the face of the franchise after LeBron James took his talents to South Beach. Irving became a prolific scorer for the Cavaliers, but the team struggled to win around him, and that continued until James returned four years later.

James and Irving, along with Kevin Love, took the Cavaliers to three straight NBA Finals appearances, including the franchise’s first ever championship in 2016. After Cleveland lost to the Golden State Warriors again in 2017, Irving’s relationship with James decayed to the point that Irving demanded a trade.

The Cavs obliged, sending Irving to Boston, where he is at the center of another potential title contender for the Celtics. Irving’s legacy is still being written as he looks to win a title without James, and his decision in free agency this summer could help shift the balance of power in the NBA.