Utah Jazz forward Donovan Mitchell called out the NCAA in the aftermath of Zion Williamson's injury:
Again let’s remember all the money that went into this game…. and these players get none of it…. and now Zion gets hurt… something has to change @NCAA
— Donovan Mitchell (@spidadmitchell) February 21, 2019
Williamson, projected to be the first overall pick in this year's draft, suffered a knee injury during the Duke Blue Devils' game against the North Carolina Tar Heels. He attempted to make a move when his right foot went right through his shoe. He went straight to the locker room and did not return, and the initial diagnosis was a mild knee sprain.
The Tar Heels went on to beat the Blue Devils, 88-72.
Mitchell's statement regarding the NCAA has been an ongoing debate for some time. Professional players like him have constantly called out the league to change their rules on collegiate players who are currently not getting paid despite the revenue they're getting from NCAA games, especially when it features stories programs like Duke and UNC.
Dallas Mavericks rookie sensation Luka Doncic tried to lighten up the mood by saying these players can play and get paid in Europe:
go play in europe 🤷🏼♂️😂✌️ https://t.co/2o2VPbwnYX
— Luka Doncic (@luka7doncic) February 21, 2019
Donovan Mitchell isn't the first NBA player to demand changes from the NCAA. Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James has been criticizing the league for quite some time now. Still, nothing has been done to address said issue, though there have been plenty of rumors about the one-and-done rule going away in the near future.
It is unclear if Williamson's injury is serious or not, but everybody is hoping that the promising big man will be able to return in time for March Madness.
As for the NCAA, maybe it's indeed time to make some changes regarding how they compensate their athletes.
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