Zion Lateef Williamson was born July 6, 2000, in Salisbury, North Carolina. His mother, Sharonda Sampson, ran track at Livingstone College. His stepfather, Lee Anderson, played basketball at Clemson. Starting at the age of nine, Williamson woke up at 5 AM daily for basketball training. He was built differently from the start — not just talented but physically overwhelming, with a combination of size, speed, and explosive leaping ability that bordered on the supernatural.
He attended Spartanburg Day School, a small private school in Spartanburg, South Carolina. He led the team to three consecutive state championships and was named South Carolina Mr. Basketball as a senior. He became a viral sensation before he ever played a college game — his high school dunk highlights accumulated millions of views on YouTube and social media, making him the most famous high school basketball player since LeBron James. He was a consensus five-star recruit, ranked among the top five players in the 2018 class, a McDonald’s All-American, runner-up for Mr. Basketball USA, and a USA Today All-USA first team honoree. He chose Duke.