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NBA Players

NBA Draft Early-Entries Are Established

NBA DraftPerhaps you checked out the new Dynasty Newswire? Yesterday, Austin Walton posted his thoughts on which early entries would definitely stay in the 2008 NBA Draft, who he believed should stay, and who would benefit most from pulling out and going back to school for at least another year. It looks like a few of them got Austin’s note and took his advice.

Believing that the 6’9 J.J. Hickson of N.C. State would probably end up an 18-24 overall pick (which is higher than most draft boards have him slotted), Austin felt that he would stay in the draft. It ends up that he sealed that deal by hiring Andy Miller of ASM Sports.

As Austin expected, Danny Green and Wayne Ellington decided to return to UNC for at least another year. What he did not expect was that their buddy, Ty Lawson, would return as well. Remember what happened when UF brought back Noah, Brewer, Horford, and Green when everyone thought at least some of them would be leaving? Yeah…NCAA Championship part 2. For UNC, this could be the first championship ring for the trio.

The shorty, A.J. Abrams, will predictably be back at UTexas next year, but Chase Budinger, who Austin felt would definitely stay in the draft, retracted his name at the last moment and will return to Arizona.

Others that took Austin’s advice to go back to school include Robert Dozier, Robert Vaden, and Jeremy Pargo.

Some that did not take Austin’s word and will instead keep their names in the draft are: Richard Hendrix, Ryan Anderson, and Luc Richard Mbah A Moute.

For the full listing of who is in and who is out, stop by the always trusty DraftExpress.com.

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.