Posted on 04/06/2019 9:10:40 AM PDT by Steely Tom
Attorney Michael Avenatti, who was arrested by the Southern District of New York for alleged extortion late last month, continued his crusade against Nike. The attorney accused Nike of paying college basketball’s top stars and already listed two players who he alleges Nike paid before they were college stars.
Avenatti accused former Arizona star DeAndre Ayton, of the Phoenix Suns, of accepting payments from Nike before he committed to the school. Not long after, he went after another Pac-12 star.
Avenatti says that Nike also paid former Oregon player Bol Bol.
Late Friday night, Avenatti dropped the biggest name in the alleged scandal. The infamous lawyer accused Nike of paying Zion Williamson’s mother, Sharonda Sampson, for her son to attend Duke.
“About this denial by Coach K the other day relating to payments by Nike…Can you please ask Zion Williamson’s mother – Sharonda Sampson – whether she was paid by Nike for bogus “consulting services” in 2016/17 as part of a Nike bribe to get Zion to go to Duke? Thx,” Avenatti said on Twitter.
At this point, it wouldn’t be surprising to hear that any big college basketball star had some favors done for them in recruiting. However, Michael Avenatti isn’t the most trustworthy source of information.
Avenatti suggested news could come out as soon as today.
Williamson is the presumptive No. 1 pick in the upcoming NBA draft. He and Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski have not commented on the allegations from Avenatti.
Wow, helping his court cases?
This is kinda like Jose Canseco with roids in baseball. This piece of crap may be useful.
He could be right.
There needs to be a separation of sports and state and of education and state.
Who cares if someone paid some talented player to pick one collage over another? Isn't that what they are effectively doing with offering scholarships?
The government needs to keep out of it.
Word to your mother ... LOL.
It seems Avenatti is constructing a defense that because Nike allegedly paid these athletes then he was allowed to extort Nike with impunity. Even if Nike paid the money, it does not get around the taped conversations during which Avenatti made the extortionate demands. I would be surprised if any federal judge even would allow that evidence to be admitted during cross examination or in the defense case (assuming there is one). The evidence of alleged payments by Nike is collateral to the extortion charge and the government would likely argue it would only confuse the jury. In essence, Avenatti wants to engage in jury nullification - that is, claim Nike is so bad it got what it deserved. Good luck, Mike, you’re going to need it.
Who cares if Nike the anti American company takes it in the shorts?
Agree. He thought he had so much leverage he could not possibly lose. Hillary-think.
Why isn’t this clown in prison?
A legal dispute between Nike and Creepy Porn Lawyer is like a mud wrestling match between Hillary Clinton and Diane Feinstein. I ain’t watching, I don’t care who wins, and I only wish they’d both collapse and die before the first round ends.
He could be the Joe Valachi of the DNC, elite sports and elite media.
This is on par with discovering gambling at Rick’s. Next up, football players take steroids!!!
So he’s throwing some guy’s mother under the bus? Who will he snitch on next?
A legal dispute between Nike and Creepy Porn Lawyer is like a mud wrestling match between Hillary Clinton and Diane Feinstein. I ain’t watching, I don’t care who wins, and I only wish they’d both collapse and die before the first round ends.
Cohen's created more fake info, and has offered himself to Congress, to cut his prison time. Sounds like he withheld evidence in Mueller's case. The guy's a doofus.
Nuck Fike
Boy howdy!
Guys like this make me wanna take back everything I’ve ever said about what low-life, slimey, miserable, blood-sucking, horrible, loathsome individuals lawyers are. /s
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