Brandon Jennings To Go Overseas…But Where?

Brandon JenningsEveryone, including myself, has been all gung-ho Brandon Jennings going overseas for a year before playing in the NBA.  He will be sticking his middle finger up towards the NBA and its silly one-and-done rule and will have an opportunity to make a six-figure salary while his colleagues are playing for universities bound by rules of amateurism, which do not allow student-athletes to make any money, receive rides around campus, or earn a free dinner at the campus Hillel house.  If all works out according to Brandon’s plans, it truly will be a groundbreaking, bold move and Jennings will be remembered as being the pioneer who helped bring about needed change.  But what if this whole experiment turns into one big bust?

A big misconception that many people have is that they believe going overseas is going overseas just like playing in the NBA is playing in the NBA.  What I mean is that if you play in the NBA, you are in a league with the best of the best, all in two conferences with inter-conference play.  Overseas, there are tons of different leagues and many countries have more than one league, ranked by the talent of its players.  Luis Fernández, Director of International Scouting for DraftExpress.com believes that Jennings has a very tough choice to make and that if he were smart, he would choose a lower-level league that will allow him great exposure even if it were to mean that Brandon would not be making the $300,000+ he thinks he deserves.

Fernández feels that Jennings would be smart to choose between an Italian league (smaller amount of options), France, Israel, or Turkey (where they are prone to default on payments).  If he chooses to chase the money, Jennings may be eaten up alive in Spain.  Let’s see what route Jennings and his advisors decide to take.  His decision will not only affect his development and future earning earning potential, but will shape the NBA and its one-and-done rule for the foreseeable future.

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.

4 replies on “Brandon Jennings To Go Overseas…But Where?”

Forget the level of play…this is a KID coming out of high school. He may do well or exceptionally well over seas but the bigger issue is his mental toughness. Many young athletes who get scholarships to schools outside there state return home because they become “home sick”. Imagine not only being in a different state but in a DIFFERENT COUNTRY! If he’s not ready for such a drastic change(which he probably isn’t) don’t be surprised after actually spending sometime overseas the KID will be coming back home to MOMMY.

Darren,
I think it will be difficult for him in the beginning. But the rules have changed so much in Europe, it’s almost like playing in the United States. There are some teams that have 5 or more American players and the coach speaks english or they have a english translator. I would suggest that Brandon and his team of experts, get some expert help to make sure that this year or two years are very successful for him. (IF) they handle this right, it will be great. (IF) they screw it up and make the wrong decisions, everybody will be saying I told you so.
Good luck with launching Dynasty.
Corey

Alex-

You are right…besides just level and style of play, his mental toughness will be tested based on the country he chooses. There is a big difference in quality of life between a country like Kosovo and Israel. In Kosovo, you are taking craps in a hole, in Israel you go to the beach on a Saturday and see beautiful models everywhere. Note: This is not a sponsored comment by the state of Israel!

By Post Author

Comments are closed.