Potential Client Bribery Brings Suit Between Rival Agents

Agent David Lee has filed papers in the Manhattan Supreme Court to bring a suit against Raymond Brothers of Roc Nation Sports. The claim alleges Brothers bribed New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson with a free $34,000 Chevy Silverado to sever his contractual agreement with Lee and elect him as his new agent. Lee had initially signed a deal to represent Robinson in September of 2017, prior to him being drafted with Pick 36 in the 2018 NBA Draft. 

The suit states, “about three months before the draft, Defendants approached Mr. Robinson and promised to buy him a new pickup truck if he would switch to their agency.” Lee claims Brothers’ “improper conduct and outright bribery” ultimately induced Robinson to switch agencies. The shift in representation forced Lee to lose out on $191,124 through commission over Robinson’s first four years with the Knicks. Lee is suing Brothers and his former companies for unspecified damages.

The suit alleges Raymond Brothers’ conduct is a blatant violation of NBA rules prohibiting bribery of players. Brothers supposedly gifted Robinson the brand new Silverado on March 30, 2018, while the Knicks center was still under Lee’s representation. A spokesperson for Brothers released a statement asserting, “The allegations made in this suit are baseless and without merit. Robinson’s desire for new representation was a personal decision and was executed above and beyond what’s in accordance with NBPA rules and regulations.”

Brothers, who also represents Knicks guard Immanuel Quickley, told the New York Post that his former high school coach informed him that Robinson was in need of new representation. “My coach asked me to help Mitchel Robinson. I didn’t even know the name of [his agent]. I didn’t know who David Lee was,” Brothers claimed. Mitchell Robinson is currently with Wasserman Group and his sixth agent in just three seasons. Robinson has declined the opportunity for comments at this point.