April 2020 Basketball Wiretap

Lawsuit Filed Against Zion Williamson Seeks Admission Of Several Illegal Benefits

May 11, 2020 1:58 AM

Gina Ford and Prime Marketing Sports, the former marketing company representing Zion Williamson, filed a lawsuit against Williamson, Creative Artists Agency (CAA), and two of its employees.

The lawsuit, seeking $100 million in damages, alleges that Williamson violated their five-year contract to sign with CAA.

Ford and her lawyer also want Williamson to admit that he received several improper benefits to attend Duke, including that Williamson's mother and stepfather "demanded and received gifts and economic benefits from persons acting on behalf of Duke University (directly and/or indirectly) to influence [Williamson] to attend Duke University to play basketball."

In a separate filing, Ford's attorneys also asked Williamson to disclose both his and his parents' addresses while he attended Duke. 

Williamson sued Ford and Prime Marketing Sports last June in an attempt to get out of his deal with the marketing company.

Williamson's attorneys claim that the deal violated North Carolina's Uniform Athlete Agents Act because Prime Marketing Sports is not certified by the NBA Players Association nor registered as an agent in North Carolina or Florida.

A U.S. District Court judge in North Carolina denied Ford's motion to dismiss Williamson's charges back in April. 

Mark Schlabach/ESPN

Tags: Zion Williamson, Duke Blue Devils, NCAA, NCAA Misc Rumor

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NCAA Board Does Not Recommend Implementing One-Time Transfer Waiver

May 3, 2020 12:54 AM

The NCAA Division I Board of Directors said that it does not recommend implementing a one-time transfer waiver for athletes next season.

The Division I Council is expected to vote in May on a one-time waiver that would allow transfers to compete immediately at their new schools.

The Transfer Waiver Working Group recommended changing the transfer guidelines for athletes who transfer before next season.

"The board agreed to lift the moratorium on transfer legislation for the 2020-21 legislative cycle but recommended to the Council that changes to the waiver process as suggested by the working group are not appropriate at this time. Board members recommended the waiver process be sensitive to student-athlete well-being, especially those impacted by COVID-19 in the interim period," said the NCAA in a statement.

Jeff Borzello/ESPN

Tags: NCAA, NCAA Misc Rumor

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