Categories
NBA Players Sports Business

Is It All About The Benjamins?

Brandon Jennings decided to go overseas to play for Pallacanestro Virtus Roma in the Italian league instead of going to Arizona.  Apparently he did not have the scores to play for U of A and additionally wanted to start making cash now instead of waiting a year.  Let’s make one thing clear, though: Jennings did not choose to go overseas instead of playing in the NBA.  On the other hand, Carlos Arroyo chose to go to Israel.  Other former NBA players who have elected to go overseas this year are Serbia’s Nenad Krstic, Spain’s Juan Carlos Navarro and Jorge Garbajosa, Argentina’s Carlos Delfino and Slovenia’s Bostjan Nachbar and Primoz Brezec.  Notice a common thread?  These players are not American born, and have ties to foreign countries.  Kobe Bryant and LeBron James were born in the United States, have lived in America for the majority of their lives, and are living like rockstars in the U.S. of A.  Would they really leave to play in another country just because a team might offer a larger contract?

I just got back from Chris Paul’s Winston-Salem Weekend.  I witnessed LeBron James sitting down cracking jokes for about three hours, hanging out with some of his best friends in the NBA.  If he goes overseas to play in Moscow, who will he be kicking it with?  Can money really buy more happiness when you are already making more than $20 million per year?  Would it be worth moving far away from all of your friends and family.  I don’t think so, which is why I have yet to buy all of the reports that LeBron and Kobe are looking at overseas options.  As a caveat, I do believe that they are listening to what is being overseas in an effort to gain leverage when discussing new deals with their teams and American endorsers.  Why not stay in the U.S. and use potential offers overseas to make a little bit more dough in the process?

Kobe will opt out of his contract next year, but do not jump to the conclusion that he will be going abroad.  He will entertain overseas options, but do not rush to get your panties in a bunch.  Entertaining offers does not mean anything.  Sonny Vaccaro believes that Kobe may be a trailblazer and be the first superstar to leave the NBA for $50+ million elsewhere.  Maybe it happens, but if I were a betting man, I would put my money on him staying in the states.

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.

4 replies on “Is It All About The Benjamins?”

Given Kobe Bryant’s international profile, I think he’s in the exact same shoes as David Beckham was leading him to the MLS.

I really think that if the money and endorsements are right, Kobe will leave to the richest contract in basketball history.

Comments are closed.