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NBA Players Recruiting Sports Agents

Want to be an NBA agent? Part II

This post will serve as part II to the original post: Want to be an NBA agent? created on January 12, 2006.

The impetus for creating another post on this topic was formed by an article from SportingNews.com [Ready for the big time].

Here are some of the important points in the article that may be used as an addition to the points covered in my first post on this topic:

  • Send a letter to Robert Gadson over at the NBPA once you know you are interested in applying to be an NBA Agent.
  • His address is: Two Penn Plaza, Suite 2430, New York, NY 10121.
  • He will send back a big application with a variety of questions.
  • Send it back completed with a check for $1500 and you will hopefully be certified in 30 days.

Note: In my first post on this topic, I mentioned that the application is available online, so it may be easier to bypass dealing with Robert Gadson altogether.

  • At the end of this past season, there were 414 active players in the NBA, 313 registered agents, and 255 of those players being represented by the 12 biggest agencies.

Note: I have discussed how the NFL is cluttered with too many agents, and the NBA seems to follow suit. This statistic may influence future Sports Agents to get started with a big company at first due to the inherent advantage of experience and breadth that these companies have in the industry.

  • Top picks want established agents as representation.

2006 draft representation:

  • Arn Tellem = LaMarcus Aldridge, J.J. Redick, Shelden Williams, Brandon Roy
  • Mark Bartelstein = Adam Morrison
  • Bill Duffy = Rajon Rondo, Marcus Williams, Allan Ray, Paul Davis
  • Octagon = Rudy Gay, Rodney Carney
  • 59.7% of lottery picks in the past 5 drafts have gone through 7 agencies

Note: Once again, it is tough to break the power that the big agencies have in the NBA. The SportingNews article gives a great example of an agent losing a battle to even have a chance to represent former UMass player, Marcus Camby after forging great relationships with his various collegiate coaches. Marc Cornstein, a specialist in European players, claims that it is important to find your niche if you want to have any hope of entering into combat against the experience, respected powerhouses.

  • It may be a good idea to offer jobs to people who are close to players that you wish to make your clients.

Note: This is legal and does not violate any NBPA rules. The suggestion is not to hire runners, but to hire someone that is close with a player that you are trying to sign and is someone that the player trusts.

  • All it takes to lose your client is for him to file an official termination letter with the union. It takes 15 days before you are no longer that player’s agent. Jason “The Jet” Terry is on his 5th agent since 1999.

Note: There really is no security. My thoughts about this is that it may be advantageous not to spread yourself too thin and represent a multitude of athletes. It is more important that you are able to focus enough time for each of your clients, even if that means only representing one athlete. Remember…it’s the relationship that will keep the player by your side and allow you to sleep at night not worrying about being fired.

  • “Do not sink too much into one guy.”

Note: This kind of goes against my last note that it may be worth it to only represent one client if you cannot devote enough time to more than one person. In a way, the more people you represent, the more you hedge your risk against completely losing your business if one client leaves you for another agent.

This is my absolute favorite part of the column: 3 Runners to beat down if you ever see them talking to your client.

  • William Wesley – connected with agent Leon Rose.
  • Eddie Lau – connected with agent Dan Fegan.
  • Reggie Brown – connected with agent Mark Bartelstein.

Leave the Skippy talk to the butter babyBesides the constant use of calling the reader who may want to be an NBA agent by the name of “Skippy,” I thought that the article was very insightful for anyone who wishes to eventually gain access to the NBA marketplace. Hopefully we won’t be saying what a unanimous agent said in the article, which is “If I could do it all over again? I’d go into f — real estate.” That’s a gruesome thought.

[tags]nba, nba agent, sports agent, runners, npba, register agent[/tags]

              By Darren Heitner

              Darren Adam Heitner, Esq., is a preeminent sports attorney and the founder of Heitner Legal, P.L.L.C., a Fort Lauderdale-based law firm specializing in sports law, contract negotiations, intellectual property, and arbitration. He earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Florida Levin College of Law in 2010 and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, magna cum laude, from the University of Florida in 2007, where he was named Valedictorian of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Admitted to practice in the state bars of Florida, New York, and the District of Columbia, as well as multiple federal courts, Darren also serves as a certified arbitrator with the American Arbitration Association.

              As an adjunct professor, Darren imparts his expertise through teaching Sports Law at the University of Florida Levin College of Law and Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) at the University of Miami School of Law in the Entertainment, Arts, and Sports Law LL.M. program. His scholarly contributions include authoring several books published by the American Bar Association, such as How to Play the Game: What Every Sports Attorney Needs to Know, and numerous articles in prominent publications like Forbes, Inc. Magazine, and Above the Law. His thought leadership in NIL has earned him recognition as one of the foremost experts by The Wall Street Journal, USA TODAY, and On3, and he has been lauded as a “power player in NIL deals” by Action Network and a “top sports trademark attorney” by Sportico.

              Darren’s passion for sports law led him to establish Sports Agent Blog on December 31, 2005, initially titled “I Want To Be A Sports Agent.” The platform, created as a New Year’s resolution, has grown into a cornerstone of the sports agency community, offering in-depth analysis of industry trends, legal disputes, and agent-player dynamics. His commitment to the field is further evidenced by his representation of numerous athletes and sports agents, as well as his prior role as an Adjunct Professor at Indiana University Bloomington, where he developed and taught a course on Sport Agency Management from 2011 to 2014.

              Darren’s contributions have been recognized with prestigious honors, including the University of Florida’s 40 Under 40 Award, the University of Florida Levin College of Law’s Outstanding Young Alumnus Award, and designation as the best lawyer in Fort Lauderdale by Fort Lauderdale Magazine. He remains an active voice in the sports law community, sharing insights through his weekly NIL newsletter and his X posts, engaging a broad audience on legal developments in sports.