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Agent Selection Scenarios: Kansas Basketball

Yesterday we tested a new feature titled Agent Selection Scenarios.  We started with a post on The Ohio State University.  Today the focus is on the University of Kansas, which is currently #2 in the country.  Here are some recent Kansas alum who are playing professional ball, along with their agents of record.

  • Cole Aldrich – Jeff Schwartz (Excel Sports Management)
  • Darrell Arthur – Jerry Hicks
  • Mario Chalmers – Sam Goldfeder (Excel Sports Management)
  • Nick Collison – Mike Higgins (The Higgins Group)
  • Drew Gooden – Dan Fegan (Lagardere Unlimited). Formerly with Calvin Andrews (BDA Sports)
  • Xavier Henry – Arn Tellem (Wasserman Media Group)
  • Kirk Hinrich – Jeff Austin (Octagon)
  • Darnell Jackson – Roger Montgomery (Montgomery Sports Group)
  • Sasha Kaun – Justin Zanik (ASM Sports). Currently playing for powerhouse, CSKA Moscow.
  • Raef LaFrentz – Mike Higgins (The Higgins Group). Retired.
  • Paul Pierce – Jeff Schwartz (Excel Sports Management)
  • Scot Pollard – Mark Bartelstein (Priority Sports & Entertainment). Retired.
  • Russell Robinson – Bob McClaren (McClaren Sports). Playing for DKV Joventut in Spain’s Liga ACB.
  • Brandon Rush – Mark Bartelstein (Priority Sports and Entertainment)
  • Wayne Simien – Leigh Steinberg. Retired.
  • Jacque Vaughn – Jeff Austin (Octagon). Assistant coach for the San Antonio Spurs.
  • Julian Wright – Rob Pelinka (Landmark Sports Agency)

Kansas produces professional basketball players.  This is only a partial listing of the many high quality basketball players to come out of the Jayhawks program in the past couple of decades.  No one agency dominates the school, and there is quite a wide spread of agents who have been able to effectively pitch their services to Kansas players.  Excel Sports seems to have a nice mix with two younger players in Mario Chalmers and Cole Aldrich, along with the best in the group, Paul Pierce.

Power forward Markieff Morris should be drafted in 2011.  The senior is 6’10, 235lbs, and puts up over 13 points per game.  Marcus Morris will not definitely leave, but if he does, he is likely to be selected above Markieff.  Josh Selby is a very talented young shooting guard, but the Freshman will likely stick around for at least one more year.  If not, he could be taken in the first round.  Thomas Robinson has a lot of potential and will be returning to Kansas next year as well.  If Tyshawn Taylor leaves, he could be a 2nd round pick, but he also has one year left if he chooses to play it out at Kansas.

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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