Zion Williamson is about to join a union. But he should’ve been in one last year.

Sara Garcia and Connor Maxwell argue that the NCAA should allow college athletes—who generate millions of dollars for the institution—to unionize so that they can bargain for the compensation and benefits they deserve.

On Thursday, Zion Williamson, the winner of the 2019 Naismith Men’s College Player of the Year — given to the top college basketball player — is widely expected to be the first overall pick in the 2019 NBA draft.

Williamson will soon help generate hundreds of millions of dollars for his NBA team through ticket sales, merchandise, and advertisements. In exchange, he will sign a lucrative contract with generous benefits, in part, thanks to policies negotiated by the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA), a labor union representing NBA players.

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