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Making An AAU Coach Part Of The Team

Sitting in the fans section and also in the NCAA coach area recently at AAU Nationals in Orlando, I could not help but think how instrumental the AAU coaches must be in shaping their players’ futures.  What if an NCAA coach could call Athletes First’s coach his best friend?  More importantly to our conversation on this blog, what if an agent could call Memphis YOMCA’s coach his best buddy?  Obviously, the teams mentioned are just examples, but getting friendly with some of the nation’s top AAU coaches could lead an NCAA coach or NBPA agent to a lot of potential success.  Which makes this story from Jeff Goodman at FOX Sports so interesting.

Usually, we hear about covert relationships between NCAA coaches/NBPA agents and AAU coaches.  Rarely are such relationships thrown out for the public to view as fact.  Baylor University obviously has little concern about any sort of backlash that may result from open wheeling and dealing with an AAU coach.  The University just hired Dwon Clifton, head coach of AAU team, D-One Sports. Forget about open discussions, an AAU coach was overtly hired by a university to head its basketball player development.  You better believe that the #1 point guard in the nation, John Wall, will be heading to Baylor in the future.  The cost of hiring Dwon pales in comparison to the gain of signing one of America’s top recruits.

I am happy for Baylor University and all of those involved in the transaction.  I am left wondering; however, just how ethical this hiring is for a university that is part of an organization that stresses amateurism (the NCAA).  Additionally, if it is alright for a university to hire an AAU coach with the hidden hope of signing one of the nation’s top recruits as a consequence, may a sports agent do the same?  Would it be alright for a sports agency to start going around and offering internal positions to some of the country’s top AAU coaches with the hope that their former players (or current players, if the agency allows said coaches to continue to head up their teams) would heed advice that tells them to sign with said agency?

Realistically, Dwon Clifton may have been hired by Baylor because he happens to be an excellent coach.  An agency may hire an AAU coach because he would be an excellent addition to the agency above and beyond the value of a potential referral of former clients.  What are your feelings on this issue?

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.

One reply on “Making An AAU Coach Part Of The Team”

[…] Recently, I pondered whether it is ethical for a university to hire an AAU coach when that coach is known for advising one of the top upcoming players in the country.  It was based on Baylor University announcing the hiring of Dwon Clifton, the former head coach of D-One Sports (AAU powerhouse).  He has had premier access to John Wall, one of the most recruited and promising youngster in the United States.  Now there is a new, interesting twist to the Clifton/Wall connection; however, this one deals with Dwon’s brother, Brian Clifton. […]

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