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Basketball Agency That Once Rep’d LeBron James Sued By Its Former Employee

Goodwin Sports
Goodwin Sports

An National Basketball Players Association certified Player Agent has sued veteran sports agency Goodwin Associates Management Enterprises (commonly referred to as Goodwin Sports) for breaching their severance agreement and allegedly inflicting emotional distress. Player Agent Muhammad Abdur-Rahim filed the Complaint in California state court, seeking $570,000 as well as exemplary and punitive damages.

Atlanta-based Abdur-Rahim, the brother of former NBA player Shareef Abdur-Rahim, worked for Goodwin Sports from May 2012 until April 2017. He claims that Goodwin Sports decided to terminate his employment in April 2017 without cause. The agreement’s term was supposed to end in August 2017.

The parties had entered into a severance agreement, which required Goodwin Sports to pay Abdur-Rahim $100,000 in five installments. Abdur-Rahim says that he received the first payment of $15,000, but that Goodwin Sports thereafter defaulted on its obligations. Another $15,000 was paid (which was $10,000 short of the amount due on that date) by Goodwin Sports, leaving a balance of $70,000 in severance pay that is past due.

Separation Agreement

Abdur-Rahim says that Goodwin Sports informed him that money would be delayed and that he would resume being paid as of January 2019. However, no more money was provided to Abdur-Rahim under the agreement.

The Complaint is also used by Abdur-Rahim to attack the credibility of Goodwin Sports as an entity for representing basketball players. He points out Goodwin Sports’ inability to retain high caliber players such as LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Dwight Howard and Al Horford, who were all once signed to the sports agency. They all left Goodwin Sports for competitors in the past.

Goodwin Sports lawsuit

While Abdur-Rahim’s claim for relief based on intentional infliction of emotional distress may be a stretch, it does appear that, at a minimum, he is entitled to recovering the money owed under the severance agreement. It is highly unlikely that Goodwin Sports would want to engage in litigation, and particularly a discovery process, if there is no strong defense to making payment to Abdur-Rahim under that arrangement.

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.