Agent Selection Scenarios: Kentucky Basketball

This Friday will make or break my bracket.  Going into the NCAA Tournament, I knew I would have to make a bold move in order to have a chance at winning, but I wanted to pick a team I thought legitimately had a chance of making it to the Final Four.  That team is the University of Kentucky, which I believe has the talent to make it to Houston, but has to beat a very powerful Ohio State basketball team.  Kentucky beat my Florida Gators in the SEC Championship game and may just have what it takes to knock off the Buckeyes.  Here are some fairly recent UK alumni who have made it at the professional level.

• Kelenna Azubuike – Mike Higgins (The Higgins Group)
• Eric Bledsoe – Leon Rose (Creative Artists Agency)
• Keith Bogans – Michael Harrison
• DeMarcus Cousins – John Greig (SportsTalent)
• Chuck Hayes – Calvin Andrews (BDA Sports)
• Jamaal Magloire – Arn Tellem (Wasserman Media Group)
• Nazr Mohammed – Mike Higgins (The Higgins Group)
• Jodie Meeks – Unrepresented
• Daniel Orton – Ara Vartanian (Vartanian/Simmons Sports Management)
• Patrick Patterson – Odell McCants (Capitol Sports Management)
• Tayshaun Prince – Bill Duffy (BDA Sports)
• Rajon Rondo – Bill Duffy (BDA Sports)
• John Wall – Dan Fegan (Lagardere Unlimited)

Many people expected John Wall to sign with Leon Rose of CAA last year based on Coach Calipari’s supposed cozy relationship with Rose and his buddy William Wesley (who now has an official position as a Coach Agent with CAA).  However, as noted above, Wall signed with Dan Fegan.  Does that give agents outside of CAA hope to recruit effectively at a school with Coach Cal at the helm?  BDA Sports has a few UK graduates, as does Mike Higgins.  Odell McCants jumped on the scene last year with Patrick Patterson.  Will he be able to leverage that relationship to get more UK blue blood?  Enes Kanter was supposed to play at Kentucky this year, but had to sit out due to an NCAA ruling.  Expect him to be a lottery pick.  Terrence Jones and Brandon Knight may also be lottery picks if either or both decide to leave early.  They are both very talented Freshman that can certainly improve their Draft stocks if they stick around at UK; however, based on their potential, they both will be sure first rounders if they leave early.  My hunch is that at least Knight sticks around at least one more year.