Zion Williamson Recruiting Violations: Is 2020 Coming for Coach K’s Reputation Now?

I think we’ve all had just about enough of 2020, and we’re not even at the halfway point. The latest target this year has in its sights appears to be Duke and USA Basketball head coach Mike Krzyzewski (Coach K). Allegations against the coach and Duke’s basketball program are emerging from a lawsuit against former Blue Devils star Zion Williamson.

Williamson is currently being sued for $100 million by Prime Sports Marketing, an agency that he was signed to for a month at the outset of his career. At bar is Williamson’s alleged breach of contract. After signing a five-year deal with the smaller agency, Williamson quickly left to join Creative Artists Agency (CAA), one of the most powerful in sports.

Legal action was actually first taken by Williamson, who sued Prime Sports last year, claiming that the deal he had signed with them was illegal under North Carolina law. The countersuit from Prime argues that Williamson broke his contract and that CAA helped him do it. This is where things might get a bit ugly for Coach K and Duke University.

As part of the lawsuit, Prime’s president, Gina Ford, filed a request for admission on Wednesday alleging that Zion Williamson received “money, benefits, favors or other things of value” to join Duke as a recruit and to wear specific brands on the court.

NEW: Zion Williamson’s former marketing agent has served requests for admission in their lawsuit asking him to admit that he received “money, benefits, favors or other things of value” to attend Duke University and to wear and/or use Nike and Adidas.

Wow. That escalated quickly. pic.twitter.com/59gWX5bNKX

— Daniel Wallach (@WALLACHLEGAL) May 10, 2020

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The entire case is broken down in spectacular fashion in this Twitter thread.

BREAKING: Gina Ford ramps up claim that Zion Williamson received money to attend Duke and was “permanently ineligible” to be a student-athlete; in new court filing, she opposes granting judgment to Zion, and says discovery is needed from Duke and Coach K on ‘pay-to-play’ issue. pic.twitter.com/x04yY3BvHm

— Daniel Wallach (@WALLACHLEGAL) June 10, 2020

While rumors have quietly swirled for years about Coach K being one of the NCAA’s best at bending but not completely breaking the rules, this is the loudest, most public pronouncement of wrongdoing we’ve seen. The claims center around financial and housing benefits that were allegedly demanded by Zion Williamson’s mother and step-father during the recruiting process.

Gina Ford’s attorneys also point to the improved housing situation of Zion Williamson’s parents as evidence that he was paid to attend Duke:

Pre-Duke: $895 monthly rental in South Carolina:

At Duke: resided in NC property valued at $950.000 (with listed monthly rent at $4,995) pic.twitter.com/WSr4Zu48ky

— Daniel Wallach (@WALLACHLEGAL) June 10, 2020

The claims go on to detail gifts of luxury cars and 2017 payments from Nike to Zion Williamson. They also call for the direct testimony of Coach K. There is at least a lot of smoke around this one, so we’ll see how things heat up. For now, Williamson’s camp is claiming that smoke is all this is. The basketball star’s lawyer issued a statement to the Raleigh News and Observer saying:

“Gina Ford’s and Prime Sports Marketing’s latest filing is a shameful attempt to distract from their admitted violations of North Carolina law. As Duke University stated in 2019, they and the NCAA both investigated and confirmed Mr. Williamson’s student-athlete eligibility. The defendants’ baseless allegations are a continuation of the predatory acts the agent statute was designed to protect against. Mr. Williamson looks forward to his day in court in North Carolina and, until then, remains focused on the NBA season and proudly representing his family, fans, and the city of New Orleans.”

To this point, Krzyzewski and Duke University have remained mum on the topic.

You know what’s more fun than legal issues and student-athlete bribes? Zion Williamson highlights!

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