Zion Williamson’s legal saga continues and on Thursday, new documents alleged the New Orleans Pelicans player did receive benefits before attending the University of Duke. In case you don’t remember, Zion is being sued for $100 million by the marketing agency he left right before he started his NBA career with the Pels.
They are alleging that Zion received compensations to attend Duke, something that would have made him ineligible. Now, an affidavit presented on Thursday, alleged Williamson received $400,000 in exchange for a verbal commitment to sign with a Canadian firm. The affidavit was signed by a man named Donald Kreiss, who worked as a middleman between Maximum Management Group and Zion.
Zion’s former marketing agent Gina Ford of Prime Marketing Sports is claiming Williamson forfeited his amateur status by accepting money before going to college. The player said the contract he signed with the marketing agency was illegal under the laws of North Carolina, which is why he left.
“It was further my understanding that to secure the verbal commitment from Lee Anderson [acting on behalf of Zion Williamson and the Williamson family] to have Zion sign with ‘MMG,’ Lee Anderson had demanded, and Duric paid, some $400,000 to Lee Anderson and Chubby Wells,” wrote Kreiss in the legal document.
NEW: Donald Kreiss affidavit offered by Gina Ford claims that Zion Williamson agreed to pay Slavko Duric between $7-10 million to relinquish exclusive marketing rights in favor of CAA, conditioned on him keeping the $400K loan a “secret” and “shredding” all records of both Ks. pic.twitter.com/6UpLHaTF8V
— . (@PrograsiveXPlus) July 9, 2020
Williamson’s attorney denied the affidavit claim to The Athletic.
“This is a desperate and irresponsible attempt to smear Mr. Williamson at the very time he has the opportunity to live his dream of playing professional basketball,” said attorney Jeffrey S. Klein.
This is the “Letter of Declatation” that Zion Williamson and his stepfather supposedly signed in Dec. 2019 acknowledging the $400K loan made by Slavko Duric in Oct. 2018 (when still enrolled in Duke), along with his driver’s license for authentication.
Real or fake?
You decide. pic.twitter.com/lVcKvzxgV4
— . (@PrograsiveXPlus) July 9, 2020
We don’t know how this whole thing is going to end but every day the accusers file more evidence against Williamson and his family.
Meanwhile, he’s in Orlando with the Pelicans, trying to steal a playoff spot when the NBA resumes next July 30.
