Zion Williamson didn’t even break a sweat in his biggest win of 2021 so far.
A North Carolina judge ruled in favor of Zion in his $100 million legal battle against former agent Gina Ford.
U.S. District Judge Loretta Biggs ruled that Ford’s contract with Williamson was void.
Judge Biggs determined that Ford, a Florida-based marketing agent, was not a licensed agent in the state of North Carolina at the time of the signing, and the contract did not comply with several requirements listed in the state’s Uniform Athlete Agents Act.
The Act requires agents to let athletes know that they are forfeiting their amateur status when they sign, and agents are required to give athletes 14 days to cancel their contract.
As reported by ESPN, Zion’s lawyer Jeffrey S. Klein issued a statement regarding the judge’s decision.
“We are grateful that the court invalidated the contract based on the merits of the case, in line with the clear, relevant requirements under North Carolina law. The court confirmed that actual facts matter, which hopefully will serve as a cautionary tale for unscrupulous agents looking to prey on student-athletes.”
Ford is seeking $100 million from the former Duke star after Williamson terminated his contract to sign with CAA in June 2019.
Ford sued for $100 million in damages after Williamson’s team filed a preemptive lawsuit.
Attorney Willie E. Carey, part of Ford’s legal team, said the case is not over and that the judge’s ruling “impacts only some of their claims in the North Carolina case. Most of the counterclaims remain, and we intend to vigorously pursue them,” he said. “We are also reviewing all options for appeal.”
Along with violating the North Carolina Uniform Athlete Agents Act, Williamson’s attorneys argue Ford and her company PrimeSports were not certified by the NBPA.
Zion’s alma mater has declined to comment on the case, as the University determined that Zion was eligible while playing for coach Mike Krzyzewski.