Ed O'Bannon: hero, flameout ... Face of a Movement

Ed O’Bannon entered the public eye as a basketball player, but his foremost legacy might be as a plaintiff. Years after his playing career, O’Bannon saw his own collegiate likeness in a branded video game. Having received zero compensation for the game, or the college basketball career depicted therein, O’Bannon took a historic stand, becoming the face of a class action lawsuit against the NCAA.

But why him? Out of countless college athletes, what made Ed O’Bannon the right face for this cause? If you understand Ed’s other, preexisting legacies, you’ll see why. Let’s meet these versions of Ed O’Bannon in the Prism.

Written and produced by Seth Rosenthal
Directed by Jiazhen Zhang

[PpP-drod]

I think this was a good episode, but the way it ended kind of felt like a part 1- like it wasn't complete. Ed is best known as 'old flameout that sued NCAA and made video game go away', and I feel like the most important part of that story and the part that built O'Bannon's legacy kinda got glossed over. It wasn't just dude filed a lawsuit and the NCAA games went away, he was harshly condemned by certain fans, and his work to build the foundation of the movement is alluded to but not delved into in the video. I think going into detail about the lawsuit, its immediate effects, and it's long term effects on NCAA, Ed, and the game itself would've made a more complete video.

[andrewsaul]

Can we acknowledge how great of a series this prism is turning out to be? Great content every episode

[ZamirStills]

Despite everything, Tark still did something great by letting O’Bannon and others have an out when everything happened with the NCAA. That was really cool.

[grzesm]

20 years later and I still cannot believe that this guy played in my hometown team in Włocławek in Poland. He was completely different level. Mind-blowing.

[LuckyBeerCamper]

Ed O'Bannon quite literally changed the world, even if it's "only" through the lense of college athletics. There's no telling how things will change in the NIL age of college athletics, but they have Ed to thank for it, forever.

[滋榎本]

It's such a shame that Ed O'Bannon didn't become a star player in the NBA.
Still, it is amazing that he led the UCLA Bruins, who had not won the NCAA since 1975, to the NCAA championship in 1995.

[thomassharer]

My dad used to tell stories about playing pick-up w/ the O’Bannon brothers around the Cerritos/Long Beach/Artesia area. It’s always great to hear about these local legends (being from SoCal). I never knew about the NCAA investigation, though. Great episode

[MrKwillis]

Is there going to be a part 2? I feel like there’s going to be more!😮

[elliemyers]

Also, in watching this again, I'm a little bummed that Seth didn't mention that Tyus Edney couldn't play in the 1995 title game after he hurt his wrist late in the Oklahoma State game....Cameron Dollar came in and played well, despite Arkansas really putting it on UCLA early on. Also, Toby Bailey dropped 26, and played probably the best game he played in his 4 years at UCLA. But, winning that game against Arkansas, the team that won the title the year before, who returned its entire team, without Edney really does make what Ed did in that game even more special.

[mandu]

People need to start talking more about coaching and front office busts. So many promising young players forced into shitty systems led by awful coaching.

[blakelip]

He’s the sole reason why athletes are getting paid for their likeness and now no more NCAA video games 😢😢

[GalacticCoast]

This brings back memories as the first column of my sports writing career was a column on Ed O'Bannon I wrote for my college newspaper back in 1993-ish. Having had an ACL injury end my football career, I was very aware of and rooting for O'Bannon.

[lostnemesis]

When you consider the fact that the person who made the whole NCAA amateur League view denounced it and the only reason he did it in the first place was because he was trying to avoid a lawsuit this man did a great service too many people with his rallying support.

[MetalGod]

There’s no question that Ed O’Bannon is a true hero of college sports. I think if he hadn’t injured his knee, and if he had been given an opportunity to truly showcase his skills in the NBA, he would’ve definitely been an All-Star…and maybe even a Hall of Famer.

[joscot]

Every Name, Image, and Likeness deal that has ever been signed should thank Ed O'Bannon.

[DoobieKeebler]

Great video! But there's a problem, Seth, as this Prism is missing a piece of glass or two.

It didn't go in depth about how he won the lawsuit against E.A. & some people HATED O'Bannon for years. For close to a decade, O'Bannon was hated with a passion.

Except O'Bannon's fight with the NCAA is what eventually helped bring about the NIL deals for college athletes, so he went from pariah to trailblazer. If O'Bannon had not filed that lawsuit about his likeness, there's a good chance the NIL deal never happens & the NCAA never needs to change.

[rdthaprariedawg]

Eddie O was the first local college “star” I got to see growing up.
I remember being mad that he fell to 9th in the draft - the only 3 players I saw being on his level were Stack, Rasheed, & Big Country. KG was picked over him, but Ed was a college-tested version of what KG was at the time. We thought Ed was gonna be what Kevin Durant is - and in real time, that’s why Oden vs. Durant was such a debate: people were afraid Durant would be too frail like Ed because he was a “tweener” on top of being too skinny.

[wacluv]

Like others have mentioned the series is wonderful but this felt rather incomplete without a deep dive into his lawsuit and what came afterwards. I really expected you to mention that this was just part 1 so hopefully there will be a part 2 in the near future.

[georgesanchez]

Part 2!! I was shocked when the video ended. I thought there was gonna be more!

[elliemyers]

Wow!!! So awesome. I also did not know all of that stuff about UNLV!! So interesting...As good as that Duke team in 1991 was, it's hard to see it beating UNLV if it has Ed and Shawn Tarver. And if those two go there, then UCLA doesn't have a title in 1995. It's amazing how these things change history. I wonder how Ed would do in today's game, with more of an emphasis on space and pacing. The Nets were a really terrible fit for him. There also HAS to be a part 2 to this!