Tamera McCook
Sports Writer
There has long been a debate regarding whether the NCAA should pay college athletes for their services.
This debate, although nothing new, has recently been sparked again with the recent injury to Zion Williamson.
Williamson, who has been predicted to be the first overall draft pick in the 2019 NBA draft, was injured while facing the North Carolina Tar Heels on Feb. 20.
His injury was caused by a shoe malfunction that led to a sprained right knee.
Since Williamson’s injury, the question has been raised whether he should shut it down for this season or continue to play basketball at the college level.
While many may feel this is an easy question to answer, could dictate the rest of his career.
If Williamson decides to keep playing this season, he could potentially jeopardize his career before it even starts.
Many fans have purchased season tickets, team apparel, and other items in preparation of this season.
Duke University had the number one ranked men’s college basketball team in the country at the time and many fans and bandwagoners have taken notice.
The team has a very talented core, with Zion Williamson as arguably the best player on the team.
According to Bleacher Report, the ticket cost for Duke’s rival game against the University of North Carolina was anywhere from $2,000 to $10,000.
The NCAA is selling college tickets for about the same price as the average ticket for the Super Bowl.
The NCAA is able to regulate its ticket prices because of the players and the excitement they bring to the game— because of all the hype around Duke and their freshman phenoms in Williamson, R.J Barrett, and Cam Reddish.
While the NCAA pockets are getting fatter by the second, the players who put in all the work for this to be possible are busting out of shoes 30 seconds into the game.
Thankfully the injury Williamson sustained was not career ending, but it could have been.
Many athletes, who have the skillset to go pro, only attend college because they have to.
Since 2006, the NBA implemented a rule that players have to be 19, and one year out of high school in order to be eligible for the NBA draft.
Due to this, many basketball players choose to play one year in college.
Many of today’s current NBA athletes who followed the one and done rule, flourished in their professional career and received big contracts.
As these players make it to the next level, their dreams are turned into reality. They are now able to take care of themselves and their families as well, something they could only dream of in college.
While in college, the NCAA prohibits its athletes from taking money or any financial assets. It is a violation of the rules they have set in place.
Chris Webber, a notable member of the Fab Five, who played basketball at the University of Michigan, was stripped of his accolades and achievements when it was discovered that he and other players had received money and gifts during his tenure there.
Not only was he punished, but the entire school was punished as well; their championship banner and achievements were removed from the record books.
According to Jalen Rose, also a member of the Fab Five, while in college, he had no money to eat or put gas in his car some days, but their jerseys were selling for hundreds of dollars.
Rose saw that his product was being sold to consumers, and although he was taking all of the risk, he never saw a dime!
In 2011, Rose stated that he believed college athletes should receive a stipend of $2,000 each semester.
“College athletes are indentured servants and this stipend would help avoid the temptation of unscrupulous boosters and other pitfalls,” said Rose.
Many professional athletes are calling for Zion to shut it down for the remainder of the season so that he does not get hurt and lower his draft stock, or even worse— damage his future before cashing out in the NBA.
While some may say that it would be selfish for Williamson to look out for himself, others call it genius.
Right now, the only thing Williamson is receiving from playing the game he loves is satisfaction.
He just loves the game and has proven that he would play whether he was being paid or not.
Some experiences are simply priceless.
