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2009 NBA Draft: Breaking Down The Second Round

Were you able to digest our breakdown of the first round?  Agencies like ASM Sports and Priority Sports came on strong at the end of the first round.  Which agencies found their home in the second round?

Second Round

  1. Kings – Jeff Pendergraph PF/C – Agency: Ceruzzi Sports
  2. Wizards – Jermaine Taylor SG – Agency: REID Entertainment
  3. Trailblazers – Dante Cunningham PF – Agency: Bell Management International
  4. Nuggets – Sergio Llull PG/SG – Agency: ASM Sports
  5. Pistons – DaJuan Summers SF/PF – Agency: Wasserman Media Group
  6. Grizzlies – Sam Young SF/PF – Agency: Octagon
  7. Spurs – DeJuan Blair PF/C – Agency: Immortal Sports
  8. Trailblazers – Jon Brockman PF – Agency: Wasserman Media Group
  9. Pistons – Jonas Jerebko SF/PF – Agency: The Neustadt Group
  10. Bobcats – Derrick Brown PF – Agency: BDA Sports
  11. Bucks – Jodie Meeks SG – Agency: No Agent
  12. Lakers – Patrick Beverley PG/SG – Agency: Lee Basketball Services
  13. Heat – Marcus Thornton SG – Agency: Elfus & Siegel Management
  14. Pistons – Chase Budinger SG/SF – Agency: BDA Sports
  15. Timberwolves – Nick Calathes PG/SG – Agency: BEST
  16. Suns – Danny Green SG/SF – Agency: BDA Sports
  17. Timberwolves – Henk Norel PF – Agent: Peter de Bos
  18. Suns – Taylor Griffin SF/PF – Agency: Excel Sports Management
  19. Hawks – Sergey Gladyr SG – Agency: Comsport
  20. Jazz – Goran Suton PF/C – Agency: Wasserman Media Group
  21. Spurs – Jack McClinton PG/SG – Agency: Octagon
  22. Pacers – A.J. Price PG – Agency: Excel Sports Management
  23. Spurs – Nando De Colo PG/SG – Agency: CAA
  24. Bobcats – Robert Vaden SG/SF – Agency: ASM Sports
  25. Trailblazers – Patrick Mills PG – Agency: Goodwin Sports Management
  26. Mavericks – Ahmad Nivins PF – Agency: Elfus & Siegel Management
  27. Suns – Emir Preldzic SF – Agency: BeoBasket
  28. Celtics – Lester Hudson PG/SG – Agency: Octagon
  29. Lakers – Chinemelu Elonu PF/C – Agency: No Agent
  30. Heat – Robert Dozier PF – Agency: Immortal Sports

Notes:

  • I’m not sure which company was more impressive this year: CAA in the NFL Draft or BDA Sports in the NBA Draft.  BDA Sports had a total of nine players selected, putting almost one-sixth of all drafted players in 2009 under Bill Duffy’s watch.  Their lowest pick was #46 overall.  Talk about utter domination by a single agency.
  • Then again, WMG came in a close 2nd.  The company had a total of eight clients selected in the draft.  Between BDA Sports and WMG, that’s roughly 1/3 of all drafted players in two companies.  How does one compete?
  • Don’t ask that question to Excel Sports Management, ASM Sports, BEST or Goodwin Sports Management.  The four companies, combined, represent sixteen of the remaining forty-three drafted players.  Octagon, Priority Sports, and CAA had their success as well.  It really is tough to compete.
  • Congrats to Elfus & Siegel Management who quietly had two clients selected in the second round.  The company has to be happy after last night.
  • Think Jodie Meeks got drafted higher than he thought he would?  Will he sign an agent?  Who will it be?  Any guesses who Chinemelu Elonu will pick for representation?
  • Who has the better name, Henk Norel or his agent, Peter de Bos?  Henk is nice, but you have to get extra credit for sneaking a “de” in there.

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.