ESPN college basketball analyst Jay Williams made a radical suggestion on Tuesday.
In a video posted to his Twitter account, Williams explained why he thinks college basketball players should boycott the Final Four.
If players want change… real change & force the hand of the #NCAA. This is what WE need to do. You not only need to boycott but this is how you boycott. @espn @SportsCenter pic.twitter.com/k0ru7LwBFZ
— Jay Williams (@RealJayWilliams) February 28, 2018
Williams compared the scholarships college athletes receive to shares of the salary cap in professional sports. He also compared college players to the members of the US women’s national soccer team, who made complaints over wage inequalities.
“Wouldn’t it be a crazy thing if we saw players actually, just not boycott a game in the NCAA Tournament, but boycott the Final Four? Imagine how quickly the NCAA would recognize that it’s just not only a business for themselves, but also a business for the athletes as well. That’s how you make change,” he concluded, as transcribed by The Spun.
Williams’ comments come a day after fellow ESPN analyst Jalen Rose suggested that the players boycott the tournament entirely.
The issue of college players being paid came to the forefront after an FBI investigation showed widespread corruption throughout college basketball.
