Just over three months ago, Zion Williamson and RJ Barrett made up the most polarizing college duo in the country. And after going No. 1 and No. 3 in the NBA Draft respectively, it won't take long for the former Blue Devils to match up against one another in the professional ranks.
Williamson's Pelicans and Barrett's Knicks—or at least the team's Summer League rosters—will face off tonight at 9:30 p.m. at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nev. Follow along here for live updates on one of the most anticipated Summer League contests in recent memory.
Knicks favored to win Summer League championship
On Friday afternoon, Caesars Sportsbook released its betting odds for the Las Vegas Summer League championship, with Barrett's Knicks heading in as 8-1 favorites. The Trail Blazers aren't far behind at 10-1, with Williamson's Pelicans tied with the Spurs for third at 14-1 odds.
Las Vegas Summer League sells out 17,500 seats
Wherever he goes, Williamson has always seemed to attract the largest crowds and command the most expensive tickets. And Las Vegas won't be any different.
According to the Washington Post's Ben Golliver, the Las Vegas Summer League has sold out all 17,500 seats for Friday night's matchup, with General Admission passes for the day being scalped for $80 and lower-level tickets re-selling for over $400. A Summer League record of 1,000 media credentials have also been issued.
And as usual, Barrett played second fiddle to Williamson's adoration from the media, though fans were quick to point out Golliver's disregard for the other star in Friday night's battle.
Zion shows off in warm-ups
Williamson impressed the Vegas crowd before the ball was even tipped, pulling off an array of flashy dunks during warm-ups that had fans and media alike fantasizing over Dunk Contest potential.
Zion scores first professional field goals with trio of dunks
Williamson and Barrett were slow to start off the game, but halfway through the first quarter Zion finally showed the fans what they were waiting for. The National Player of the Year quickly took over with a trio of ferocious two-handed slams, capped off by ripping the ball right out of the hands of Knicks forward Kevin Knox and throwing it down.
R.J. gets on the board with 3-pointer, and-one
Immediately after it seemed like Zion was stealing the show, Barrett scored the first professional points of his own with a 3-pointer followed by an and-one layup.
Zion sporting Duke kicks
Williamson paid homage to his former team via his shoes, sporting custom Nike Kyrie 4's in his first professional contest.
Frank Jackson with 14 first-half points, Knicks lead 56-49
While the evening was supposed to be the Zion-RJ show, former Duke guard Frank Jackson outscored both in the first-half. The 2017 second-round pick scored 14 points on 5-of-11 shooting from the floor in the first half, including a 2-of-6 mark from downtown. Williamson added 11 points for the Pelicans on 4-of-9 shooting from the field, while Barrett dropped eight points on 3-of-9 shooting for the Knicks.
Zion leaves game after knee-to-knee contact
Williamson did not play in the second-half after experiencing "knee-to-knee contact", per ESPN. He finished with 11 points on 4-of-9 shooting from the floor, 0-of-2 from three and 3-of-6 from the line. The No. 1 pick also tallied three rebounds and a steal but was -15 in nine minutes of action.
Jackson leads Pelicans comeback
With Zion on the bench, New Orleans turned a seven-point deficit into an 80-69 lead by the end of the third quarter. Jackson scored 16 points in the period, headlined by a merciless running dunk down the lane. He enters the fourth with 30 total points on 11-of-17 shooting.
Game delayed due to earthquake
Play has been halted with seven minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, as the scoreboards and speakers hanging from the roof were seen shaking due to a 6.9 magnitude earthquake with an epicenter around Ridgecrest, Calif.—about 230 miles west of Las Vegas. The announcers on ESPN said they could "feel the ground beneath them move." Cox Pavilion, located across the street from the Thomas and Mack Center, does not contain overhanging speakers and continued play through the earthquake.
Game postponed after 30-minute wait
Approximately 30 minutes after the earthquake struck, all of Friday night's games at the Thomas and Mack Center were officially postponed. The final seven minutes of Knicks-Pelicans will be finished at a later date, with New Orleans currently leading 80-74. Barrett finishes the evening with 10 points on 4-of-18 shooting from the floor and 1-of-8 from beyond the arc, while Jackson's total remains at 30 points on 11-of-17 shooting.
NBA confirms game will not resume at later date, Pelicans win 80-74
At approximately 1:00 a.m. EST, the NBA confirmed the game would not resume at a later date and concludes at the time of stoppage.
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