Two years ago, some Duke basketball fans — mostly those who yell at kids for stepping on their lawn — expressed outrage when Marvin Bagley III asked to wear No. 35 as a Blue Devil.
But the disapproval over the decision to allow the eventual one-and-done stud to do so was understandable. After all, the number has hung from Cameron Indoor Stadium’s rafters for three decades due to Danny Ferry’s 2,155 points, 1,003 rebounds, and three final-four appearances.
Now, no offense to Ferry — he became my first sports hero when I was six years old — but Zion Williamson, who is now my all-time sports hero and whose jersey number does not adorn the airspace above Coach K Court but should, would have eaten the fellow power forward’s lunch had they played in the same era.