Duke's Mike Krzyzewski 'glad' 'Fair Pay to Play Act' passed: 'We need to stay current with what's happening'

Former Ohio State player, now congressman, agrees with paying NCAA players

Rep. Anthony Gonzalez (R-OH), who used to play for Ohio State University and the Indianapolis Colts, believes the U.S. should have one federal law which allows NCAA athletes to receive payment, but there must be proper regulation behind it.

Duke men’s basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski expressed his support for California’s “Fair Pay for Play Act” during a news conference at ACC media day on Tuesday.

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Krzyzewski, one of the most prominent supporters when it comes to the state’s new law, said the bill raises a lot of challenging questions but college sports can no longer avoid the issue.

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“We need to look at that, as a whole issue, not just this one thing for image and likeness,” Krzyzewski said. “What's best for these kids? We need to stay current with what's happening.”

He added: “I'm glad it was passed because it pushes the envelope a little, it pushes the issue. But I don't want to answer just for that. I'd like to see, 'OK, let's take a look at all the things that need to be done. Will we do them? How can we do them?'

Duke basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski listens to a question during the Atlantic Coast Conference NCAA college basketball media day in Charlotte, N.C., Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2019. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond)

“I don't have the answer. But I'd like to have a bunch of people get together over a period of time and play catch-up with what we probably should have been doing more of a decade or two ago.”

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The California law allows student-athletes to profit from their names, images and likenesses. While it has received significant blowback from the NCAA and a handful of conference commissioners, officials still have time to get everything sorted out as the law doesn’t go into effect until 2023.

Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim and North Carolina coach Roy Williams both were in agreement that the law raises more questions than answers.

“I don't know how you can make it a fair option. That is what I would like to know. And nobody knows, because if they knew they would say it,” Boeheim said, adding he believes rural schools will be put at a disadvantage.

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Williams said: “We are all talking about something that we don't know what the crap it is. I mean it's like putting me in charge of nuclear weapons.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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