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Coaches Sports Business

What Is Going On With The NBA’s Head Coach Pool?

Yesterday, the NBA and its fans celebrated the mid-point of the 2009 season with the NBA All-Star game and a ridiculously amazing dance by Shaq in a mask.  How much time did he spend practicing that routine?  Anyway, more importantly, only one day later, the seventh NBA head coach was fired this season.  Terry Porter received the news late last night.  What is going on here?  Eight head coaches fired at the close of the first half of the season?  Are owners holding their coaches to a higher level of accountability in a tough economy, or is it something else?  At least Career Sports & Entertainment is relieved that no more of their coach clients have been fired.  By the way, who represents Porter?

Who will be next to go?  Many in Detroit are calling for Michael Curry‘s head.  What can agents do to protect their coach clients who currently possess head coaching positions within the NBA?  With so many coaches being fired, that means that there are openings for other coaches to take those open spots.  You better believe that this has been a very active season for coach agents, each trying to persuade GMs and other execs why organizations should bring their clients into the new regimes.

Ease the pain. Enjoy Shaq…

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.