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DURHAM, NC (AP) – Shortly after dismantling Zion Williamson's shoe, Nike's share price fell sharply.
The monstrous injury that occurred during one of the major matches of the college basketball season immediately sparked debate on everything from shoe manufacturers to insurance, and whether the likely choice of the NBA lottery should put his professional future at risk by continuing to play for the best player of Blue The Devils.
Williamson is classified "day-to-day" with a slight sprain in his right knee and is progressing as planned, said Thursday evening spokesman Mike DeGeorge. Duke will then face Syracuse Saturday.
Thursday morning, Nike, who made the shoes Williamson wore, also felt the effects of the injury.
The title of the sportswear company has become the target of ridicule on social networks. A spokesman said that Nike had opened an investigation into what he called an "isolated" event.
"The shoes have already failed, but not so prominently," said Matt Powell, senior sports adviser for the industry's NPD Group, a market research firm.
In front of a crowded crowd of celebrities – from Spike Lee to former President Barack Obama – Williamson was injured in the first minute of the match when his Nike Nike 2.5, the line of sneakers signed Paul George, Oklahoma City's star Thunder, is torn. Williamson often wears this model during games and had no obvious problem.
Williamson, who weighs 280 pounds, is one of the most powerful players in the game. He tried to plant with his left foot while his right foot slipped. The blue rubber sole broke off the white shoe and Williamson's foot crossed the big hole. He ended up in a clumsy, almost divided, squeezing the back of his right knee . He made his way to the bench and a few minutes later he headed for the locker room, leaving the wrecked shoe under his chair.
George said Thursday that he had talked to Nike to find out what was wrong and what had happened to the shoe.
"It has not happened since I was wearing this shoe," George said. "We managed three generations, and now four of my shoes, to be successful, so I did not necessarily feel the slightest inconvenience about that part – the negative part of it." My only concern was for Sion, honestly."
Since Duke is a school sponsored by Nike, Williamson has the choice of shoes from this company.
"I've seen guys break shoes but do not step on their knees," coach Mike Krzyzewski said. "He fell several times during which he slipped and saved the ball, that's what I thought I was coming in. He's going so fast that maybe there's something slippery, that's what's going on. "
The injury also sparked a new debate over whether Williamson – the eventual number one choice in the NBA draft, should he leave Duke after his first year – would be well advised to end at his university season to avoid an injury. this could jeopardize his professional career. Scottie Pippen, a member of the NBA Hall of Fame, pleaded for that a month ago, saying on ESPN that "I would close it".
Asked on February 5 about these comments, Williamson turned to his locker mate, Mike Buckmire, and asked him, "Buck, would you hate me if I close the season?
"I could not do that to my teammates," said Williamson. "Once again, thank you for having confidence in me and the type of player I can become, but I too love the university to stop playing, I will not give up on that." "
Now that he's really hurt, it's unclear if his feelings have changed.
He also does not know, whether he decides to pursue his university career, whether Williamson has an insurance policy to protect him in case of injury, as many other elite athletes have bought it.
DeGeorge Thursday was unable to confirm an Action Network report that Williamson had an $ 8 million loss of value policy drafted by the Winston-Salem International Specialty Insurance, which would pay off. he passed the 16th rank in the June project. ISI officials did not return telephone and electronic messages on Thursday.
Loss-of-value policies are not offered by the NCAA, but the governing body offers disability insurance.
Spokesperson, Stacey Osburn, said the NCAA allows schools to buy fonts for loss of value on behalf of a player. She added that the NCAA also facilitates a disability insurance program for players in five sports, including men's basketball, in which athletes can take out policies with pre-approved financing to protect against losses of future earnings from college injuries. Duke spokesman Jon Jackson said the university provided the necessary resource for athletes to buy fonts in limited cases, but declined to comment on specific cases.
There is no restriction of the NCAA as to the amount of insurance that a player can buy or if the player wishes both types of policies, Osburn said.
A few years ago, Marcus Lattimore, a former South Carolina attacking midfielder, had taken out a disability insurance contract.
He has a $ 1.8 million insurance policy under the NCAA program. Lattimore had a clause in her policy stating that she would pay if he did not play four NFL games. Lattimore never played in an NFL game but only received about $ 270,000 from the policy, in part because he received a sign-up bonus when he was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the fourth round.
He bought the police before his second season in 2011, and then renewed it the following year. That season, he broke his knee in a game that earned him several torn ligaments. Lattimore is currently Director of Football Player Development at his alma mater.
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