Josh Hairston, who played at Duke from 2010-2014, has joined SAC Sports Representation as he pursues a career as a NBA agent. He started in his new role as a recruiter this past month. SAC Sports Representation is ran by agent Seth Cohen. Last year, Cohen represented Suns first round pick Cameron Johnson. Cohen also used to represent Hairston. Once the agent and now the mentor, Cohen is grooming Hairston to become an agent like himself. Hairston will be sitting for the next NBPA agent exam in January.
A few years back, Hairston was almost ready to give up on basketball. He had floated around playing overseas and wasn’t sure if he was going to get another contract. That’s when he fired his former agent and hired Cohen. Cohen signed Hairston to a deal three days later. “I owe a lot to him,” Hairston mentioned.
Hairston last played for Basket Ravenna in Italy in 2019 where he averaged 12.7 points and 6.5 rebounds per game.
During his final season he started to look beyond his playing career. “My one dream was always to play in the NBA. Towards the end of my playing career I started to think about different career paths and called [Cohen] and we talked about me pursuing the path of becoming an agent,” Hairston said.
Hairston hopes to utilize his basketball connections as he embarks on his new career. “The strongest relationship I have is the Duke relationship. I have a great relationship with Coach K and he’s done so much for me and my personal life,” Hairston said.
Although he played for Duke and is part of the brotherhood, Hairston hopes to make his own mark. “I want guys to work with me because of who I am not just because of the relationship I have with Duke,” Hairston said.
As Hairston learns the ropes of the industry and gears up to take the agent exam, there have been some hurdles. “I’m a big people person and I like to share my energy so it’s tough not to be face-to-face,” Hairston said about working through the pandemic. Although he has not been able to travel, Hairston said he’s “using this opportunity to get to know everyone [at SAC] more personally.”
With the NBA set to restart in the Orlando bubble at the end of the month, Hairston has had to work with clients remotely. “I’m praying and hoping for everyone’s safety. The NBA is the best league in the world for a reason. You just hope everyone is doing their part to stay safe,” Hairston said.
Like all other NBA fans, Hairston is hoping for the best and excited for the return of basketball.
You can follow Josh’s journey to becoming a certified agent on Instagram @JHairston15.
