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Former Basketball Agent Jason Levien To Buy A Piece Of MLS D.C. United

It seems as though former basketball agent Jason Levien has already lived a full life.  In 2008, Jason Levien, owner of a company named Levien Sports Representation, left his basketball agency behind to become General Counsel/Assistant General Manager of the Sacramento Kings and was later promoted to Senior Vice President prior to resigning in 2010.  Then, Levien became part owner of the Philadelphia 76ers.  And just recently it was reported that Levien will become a part owner of Major League Soccer’s D.C. United franchise.  Yet, Levien is a young man who still has a lot of years of making big moves in sports business ahead of him.

Levien graduated from Pomona College in 1993 and later received his Juris Doctorate from Michigan, where he served as editor of the law review.  Prior to starting his own basketball agency, he worked at the well known law firm Greenberg Traurig, where he had the blessing to begin a basketball player representation practice.  In his days as an agent, Levien represented Udonis Haslem, Kevin Martin, Luol Deng, Omri Casspi, and Courtney Lee.  Now he is responsible for paying comparable players.

I have always been a big fan of Levien.  Without a doubt, I will instantly become a D.C. United fan.  However, I can’t say the same about the 76ers.  My allegiance is pledged to my hometown Miami Heat.

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.