Jorge Sierra at HoopsHype broke the following agent change via Twitter:
[blackbirdpie url=”http://twitter.com/#!/hoopshype/status/104460217470812161″]
As stated by Sierra, Royal Ivey’s switch of representation from Keith Glass to Jim Tanner, leaves Glass with no remaining NBA clients. Tanner, however, represents Ray Allen, Tim Duncan, Hedo Turkoglu, Shane Battier, amongst others. He is the head of the basketball division at law firm Williams & Connolly, where current Phoenix Suns President of Basketball Operations, Lon Babby, used to run the show.
Keith Glass’ book, Taking Shots remains one of my favorite sports agent books, as it was written in a tone and fashion that made me believe he was telling the truth and holding very little back. One thing that sticks out is Glass saying that while he thinks agents are necessary, they should go back to being solely advocates and representatives for their clients and quit creating new roles for themselves. Perhaps Glass was just unwilling to adapt to the times and basketball players want something more than an old-fashioned advocate. And I recall highlighting the first page of Glass’ book and wondering if he was trying to commit professional suicide. It reads,
The NBA is too powerful. Players make too much money. Teams charge too much money. The league sells too many products. Many coaches and administrators seem to have all the answers, and yet the game itself has become a selfish, tedious, and colossal bore.
Even if Glass does not represent any more NBA players, he will also be remembered (at least in my mind) for winning an arbitration hearing after it was found that Andy Miller recruited one of Glass’ clients and knew that the player had been represented by Glass. Glass was awarded $40,000 in damages. Successful tortious interference claims are rare, but Glass proved his case, and will be remembered for that.
