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Michigan’s Trey Burke Taps His Father As Basketball Agent

Michigan Wolverines guard Trey Burke (left) during a press conference the day before the championship game of the 2013 Final Four of the NCAA men's basketball tournament at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports
Michigan Wolverines guard Trey Burke will be represented by his father, Benji Burke. Photo Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports

Over a month ago, I had heard that Michigan guard Trey Burke would be leaving school early and entering the NBA Draft.  That happened.  But I had also been told that Burke narrowed his potential NBA representation down to 5 names: Jeff Schwartz, Arn Tellem, Henry Thomas, Bill Duffy and Alonzo Shavers.

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The inclusion of Shavers on that list caught a lot of intrigue.  Schwartz, Tellem, Thomas and Duffy are well known in the world of basketball representation and have developed practices that represent a plethora of highly talented players.  But only Shavers knew Burke since birth.

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Shavers, the Founder and President of Infinite Sports Concepts has been an NFLPA Contract Advisor for roughly twelve years.  He is best known for his work with NFL player Asante Samuel (if you did not know that Shavers was Samuel’s agent, the title of Infinite Sports’ website gives it away).  According to Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress, Shavers has teamed up with Trey Burke’s father, Benji Burke, to open up a basketball division at Infinite Sports Concepts.  Benji will represent Trey.

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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.