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Duke 'looking into' claim Nike paid Zion's mother

Duke is "looking into" attorney Michael Avenatti's allegation that Nike paid Zion Williamson's mother for consulting services while her son was a top high school recruit, according to athletic director Kevin White.

Avenatti, who has been charged with attempting to extort more than $20 million in payments from Nike, alleged on Twitter on Friday night that Nike paid for "bogus" services in 2016 or 2017 "as part of a Nike bribe to get Zion to go to Duke."

White on Saturday told Duke's independent news outlet, The Chronicle, that it would investigate the claim as a compliance matter.