Categories
Sports Agents

Jason Levien – Future Kings Asst GM

By creating SportsAgentBlog.com, I have had the opportunity to network with quite a few agents.  I value all of the relationships that have been created very dearly.  I especially enjoy when I am able to meet up with my colleagues in person.  This past summer, while I was down in Miami promoting the nightlife scene and working on Dynasty every day, I had the pleasure of having lunch with Jason Levien at one of my favorite spots, Big Pink.  After a long conversation and a very tasty meal, I realized that Jason and I had quite a lot in common, and I left the restaurant truly hoping that he would have continued success in life.  The guy is happily married and had residencies in Miami and New York.  It looks like he may be adding a third house, completing the triangle.

I say triangle, because that residence should be in California, where word is that Levien will be accepting a position as Assistant General Manager of the Sacramento Kings.  I briefly spoke to Jason this morning and he seemed to be in good spirits and happy with life.  He will be sad to relinquish the oversight of his current, and soon to be former, clients, but believes that the opportunity with the Kings is just too much for him to pass on.  Plus, most of his clients have long-term deals and will not need as much day-to-day attention as players who are going to be free-agents in the near future.

Levien will go from representing Sacramento Kings star, Kevin Martin, to potentially negotiating with Kevin’s future agent if he is to remain with the team after his contract expires.  Other notable clients under the LSR (Levien Sports Representation) umbrella include Luol Deng and Courtney Lee.

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.