TyTy Washington (Vicky Graff Photo)
Name, image, and likeness certainly has changed college athletics and is going to keep doing so in ways we might not yet comprehend. Young athletes have to be tempted by the money they can make now in college and many still wonder if it will take away from their work ethic.
Tee Washington, the father of UK basketball star guard TyTy Washington, has seen his son get a Porsche to drive this season and have a dish named after him at Fazoli’s along with other NIL deals.
“But we have made sure his focus stayed on basketball,” said Tee Washington. “He’s not involved with anything so time-consuming that he cannot focus on basketball. Basketball and school remain his main focus.”
That doesn’t mean the UK freshman has not been open to NIL deals.
“If a deal presents itself where it is not a lot of work and time for him, then he listens,” Tee Washington said. “But we try to keep his deals at a bare minimum.
“He has passed up deals that require a few hours here and there because we want him to focus on basketball and school.”
And for those who wonder if NIL deals or one-and-done potential take precedence over winning a national title for players, pay attention to Tee Washington.
“The team around us is doing a great job making sure we don’t lose focus of the main goal of trying to win the national championship and making sure he is on track to graduate,” Tee Washington said.
That tells you two things. A national championship matters and as of today heading to the NBA is not what TyTy Washington is thinking about.
