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Interview With The Agents: Daniel Hazan And Josh Wildes

Hazan Sports Management

The following interview was conducted by Matthew Hochberg. The subjects of the interview are Daniel Hazan, CEO & Founder of Hazan Sports Management and Josh Wildes, Vice President of the agency. HSM was founded following the summer of 2013.

Hazan Sports Management
Hazan Sports Management is currently focusing on building its basketball division before expanding to other sports.

Matthew Hochberg: Do you find it challenging competing for clients against agents who have been in the industry for several years? How is Hazan Sports Management different from other agencies?

Daniel Hazan: It is definitely a challenge, especially in the beginning. However, it is important to note that other well-known agencies represent a lot of top-notch players while their smaller players could tend to fall between the cracks. The players that we sign, to us, are all superstars, and we give each of them 110% of our focus.

Matthew Hochberg: Where are your clients playing?

Daniel Hazan: Some of our players are playing in Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Mongolia, Mexico and the NBA Development League.

Matthew Hochberg: You recently signed Aquille Carr, the No. 50 overall player in the 2013 college recruiting class (according to ESPN), who was waived by the Delaware 87ers of the NBA Developmental League in early January. What are your plans for him moving forward?

Daniel Hazan: Aquille is going to declare for the 2014 NBA Draft in the near future. Until that point, we will have him going through rigorous and professional training to prepare him both physically and mentally for the NBA.

Aquille Carr (left) with agent Daniel Hazan.
Aquille Carr (left) with agent Daniel Hazan.

Matthew Hochberg: Currently, all of your clients are basketball players; as the company continues to grow, will you consider expanding to players of other sports?

Daniel Hazan: Basketball right now is our number one priority and passion. However, once we continue to grow exponentially, other sports are an option that we will consider looking into.

Matthew Hochberg: How did you handle your first contract negotiation?

Daniel Hazan: As the founder and CEO of Java Ads, inc., I had experience dealing with contract negotiations, and this process was not much different.

Matthew Hochberg: What are your future goals as a sports agent?

Daniel Hazan: My future goal is to help as many players as I can reach their dreams.

Now we turn to Josh Wildes, VP of HSM:

Matthew Hochberg: How did you originally get started with Hazan Sports Management?

Josh Wildes: Daniel and I have known each other for number of years. Once Daniel started HSM, he added Andrew Wakschlag, our General Manager, and myself to the team. Andrew is a very good writer and he specializes in writing about the NBA. He is looking to publish an analytical book he wrote about the NBA in a month or so. Additionally, Andrew administrates several NBA related Facebook groups that have over one million ‘likes’ in total.

Matthew Hochberg: As Vice President of the agency, what exactly are your duties on a day-to-day basis?

Josh Wildes: Part of my responsibility as Vice President is to keep up with the players, coaches, and teams in order to pursue and retain jobs for our clients.

Matthew Hochberg: On behalf of Sports Agent Blog and all of our readers, I would like to thank Mr. Hazan and Mr. Wildes for sharing their insight with us. You can check out the company website at http://www.hazansportsmgmt.com and follow them on Instagram here.

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.