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families signing letters of intent
with no rights,” Dawkins de-
clares. “These are very young
adults. Some at 17. Everyone
sa y s t h a t A AU b a s k e t b a l l
coaches are dirty and shady, but
th e s a m e t h i n g t h e A AU
coaches are doing is the same
thing a Roy Williams is doing.
“He’s coaching and guiding
players. Roy gets an extension.
The AAU coach does the same
thing and he’s a (bad guy),” says
Dawkins.
“A player is not going to turn
down money when they don’t
have any,” points out Dawkins,
his voice raising a bit. “Eighty
percent don’t have thousands of
dollars saved. Players should be
able to market themselves.
“Should the players be paid?
One thousand percent. That’s
the only thing that’s right. If you
don’t believe that, you’re delu-
sional,” he says, calmer. “The
NCAA is not paying any taxes
and taking in millions of dollars
and can’t pay (players)?”
“Without ( players), they
don’t have s—-. (Players) have
all the leverage. Don’t realize it
because they aren’t thinking
about it.”
Dawkins admits he’s paid
athletes.
“Definitely more than a
handful. Less than a hundred. Ifyou’re not making money, then
what are you doing?” he asks.
“Yes, players should get paid.
Now let’s get past it. How are
we going to change this and
stop acting like it’s not there?
White men capitalize on black
players and get nothing. And
don’t say scholarship?
“Don’t say books and room
and board. How do the players’
parents get to the game or take a
girlfriend out? It’s the way (the
NBA) works. The NCAA needs
to step up that way,” he ac-
knowledges.
Would the NCAA go out of
business if they did what the
NBA does? “Out of business?”he asks. “No. The NBA has no
issue with paying athletes.”
“The Scheme” also has audio
from coaches Miller and Wade
talking with Dawkins about
prospective players. The con-
versations sound like chats be-
tween best friends.
“All the coaches are good
guys,” states Dawkins. “People
thought this (documentary)
was a hate piece on their
coaches. (Did) Book Rich-
ardson got f——-? Yeah. Sean
Miller? Should he lose his job?
No. The coaches did nothing
wrong. Rick Pitino? Hire him in
aday (but he’s] not the greatest
monitor of NCAA rules.”Now what does Dawkins do
while awaiting his appeal? He’s
already working on what for
him is the logical next step. He’s
co - C E O, a l o n g w i t h St eve
Rifkin, of Chosen Records in a
joint deal with Atlantic Records.
“Just like Puffy (Combs) and
others,” he points out. “We’ve
got a rapper named Kateel. In a
year, he’s a star.”
Dawkins is still hustling. He
was trying to be a player agent
but now he’s trying to be a
record mogul.
“Now, I can’t see the South-
ern District of New York charg-
ing me with anything,” he says
with a chuckle.Christian Dawkins, a
central figure in the
college basketball bribery
scandal, says players
should be paid. AP