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Former CAA Basketball Agent Andre Buck Establishes Arete Sports Agency

A few days ago, I received an email from a gentleman named Jeffrey Lynds, who stated that he works with basketball agent Andre Buck at a company named Arete Sports Agency (which was created by Buck).  Lynds asked that I take down and remove any tags related to Andre Buck joining Artizen Management or Derrick W. Brooks.

Back in August 2009, I wrote an article titled, “Andre Buck Leaves CAA, Joins Artizen Management Group” (which has since been taken down pursuant to Lynds’ request).  I had heard from multiple sources that Buck had joined Derrick W. Brooks at Artizen.  Lynds says that it was misreported various places, and that he is in the process of “cleaning it up.”  While Buck certainly did leave Creative Artists Agency (CAA), Lynds reports that no agreement was ever entered into between Andre Buck and Artizen Management.

Arete Sports Agency’s website does not have a great deal of content, but it does state that that the agency represents over fifty professional basketball players worldwide.  Currently, the company represents NBA players Alonzo Gee and Renaldo Balkman, along with Pooh Jeter (Joventut), PJ Tucker (Brose Baskets), David Hawkins (Besiktas), Doron Perkins (Cantu), and many others who are currently playing overseas.

Arete Sports Agency is based in Wayne, Pennsylvania.

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.