Kansas college player can use $20,000 winnings from half-court shot as scholarship

OKLAHOMA CITY – A college basketball player who won $20,000 by hitting a half-court shot during an Oklahoma City Thunder game can keep the money.

The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics announced Tuesday that Cameron Rodriguez could keep his winnings for use as a scholarship. Rodriguez is a sophomore forward for the Southwestern College basketball team in Winfield, Kan.

He nailed the half-court shot Nov. 18 during the Thunder's home game against the Denver Nuggets.

The NAIA says the decision to use the winnings as scholarship money was a joint recommendation by Rodriguez and the Southwestern College athletic department, which was supported by the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference.

The NAIA initially informed Rodriguez that if he kept the money he would lose his amateur status, but Southwestern College appealed.