Dick Vitale on Zion Williamson, improving March Madness, paying student-athletes

Dick Vitale talks about Zion Williamson, March Madness, potential Cinderella’s and why it’s time to clean up college athletics by paying the student-athletes.

Dick Vitale is the voice of college basketball on ESPN and has been a champion for college basketball for 40 years. In all this time, he’s never seen a player like Duke freshman phenom Zion Williamson.

“Zion is just one of those unique players, that he brings down all his skills on the basketball court,” Vitale said. “But the energy, the enthusiasm he brings with his presence to every other player on the team. I mean they were three and three without him. That shows you the value that this kid has. He really just is so unique and so special. The most unique player I’ve ever seen in my 40 years.”

“Here’s a guy six-foot-eight, jumps out of the gym. He’s got great bounce, he’s a skywalker, they call him the elevator man, he just climbs and climbs like you can’t believe. And then he’s got that explosiveness. When he’s going the length of the court and he jams one and the crowd goes in a frenzy and he just becomes contagious with everyone.”

Duke is more than just Williamson, but Vitale loves what he’s seen from the Blue Devils when they’ve had their full team on the court and could be the team to beat in the NCAA Tournament.

“Duke’s lost one game, one game all year with the full cast and that was early, to Gonzaga. And I’m telling you when they’ve got their A game and they’re all together they’re a tough team to beat.”

One of the best parts about March Madness is the Cinderella. It’s exhilarating to see David beat Goliath and Dickie V has his eyes on potential Cinderella Stories at Murray State and Wofford.

“Ja Morant is one of the five best players in the country,” Vitale said.

“Wofford’s got great team concept they play together really well. They share the ball, take shots, well coached. Those teams are great to watch and I know ultimately there’s probably about eight teams that could win a national championship. I’m all for the little guy.”

To that point, Vitale wants to see some tweaks to the selection process that rewards excellence and not mediocrity.

“There’s 36 at large teams. Why not give 28 to the big conferences,” Vitale asked. “And save eight for the smaller schools that maybe had great years but were upset in their tournaments like Lipscomb or Hofstra. Reward them instead of rewarding mediocrity.”

Despite the excitement surrounding March Madness, college basketball hasn’t been able to avoid the stain of FBI probes, NCAA investigations and coaches on wiretaps for allegedly trying to orchestrate payments to get players. If Vitale was in charge, he’d be paying the players and avoid this cesspool.

“When you read all that stuff it just tears my heart out,” Vitale said. “We could solve some of it but people don’t want to move in that direction. I think we’d solve it. First of all Zion, that kid should get money, that kid should get money. We’re all making money, I make money and coaches are making billions. We’re all making money. Very easily eliminate the sleazeball, eliminate the middle-man who’s out there hustling, getting money from shoe companies and running them over into kids families and then wanting to represent the kids. Get rid of that. Now you’re rid of it, very simple.”

“You just allow kids like Zion. If an agent wants to give him money, it’s legal. You allow a kid like Zion, if he wants to appear at a banquet and they want to pay him, let them pay him. If he wants to get there and do an endorsement, let him be an endorsement. Kids if they can get that. If you’re a singer and you’re a college student, and you’re a great talent, Taylor Swift and you’re a great singer. They can’t stop you from going out and doing a concert and making millions. I think it’s time that these kids should be compensated.”

“It’s crazy what’s out there it’s a cesspool. We even see now, to get admitted to a school, fraudulent athletes are created and then bribes are given to coaches to make believe they want them as an athlete then cite the admission office. That is sickening.”

Dick Vitale spoke with us and his partnership with Bounty. The Quicker Picker Upper is your go-to kitchen tool for Tourney Time watch parties and Dickie V has a special broccoli bacon fritters recipe for you to try this March Madness.

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Dick Vitale’s Mount Rushmores of College Basketball is now for sale on his website and all proceeds will be donated to The V Foundation for Cancer Research. You can also buy on Amazon.