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On To The Next One: Dwight Howard

With a 3-0 lead over the Charlotte Bobcats in the first round of the NBA Playoffs, one would think that the only thing on Dwight Howard‘s mind right now is finishing up the series with a sweep and moving on to the next opponent.  Instead, it seems like he has some other big things on his mind.  Last night, Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports reported that Howard has dropped Aaron Goodwin as his NBA agent and that Howard will most likely allow extended family/friends manage his future contractual negotiations.  As Wojnarowski points out, this is an interesting move, since it was not too long ago that another NBA superstar (LeBron James) left Goodwin with the same plan.  The difference is that James left Goodwin and signed with Creative Artists Agency (Leon Rose) to handle his team contracts, and started his own marketing firm (LRMR) with a few of his closest friends.

Did Howard not enjoy the shoe deal Goodwin got him?  What about the amazing social media exposure that Nate Jones was able to provide Dwight?  Aaron Goodwin and his team at Goodwin Sports Management will survive.  With his impressive list of clients, he can still practically root for any team remaining in the playoffs to win the championship this year.  I wonder why Howard left and who he will pick to replace the people at GSM.

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.

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