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2009 NBA Draft: Breaking Down The First Round

After 60 picks and 100,000 trades, we now know who was selected in the 2009 NBA Draft and what teams they may be playing for in 2009.  I will let the other web sites debate over what teams were the winners and losers.  Here, our main concern is sorting out the agencies that were popping champagne vs. those leaving Madison Square Garden with their heads down.  This post will cover the first round.  A second round post will follow.

First Round

  1. Clippers – Blake Griffin PF/C – Agency: Excel Sports Management
  2. Grizzlies – Hasheem Thabeet C – Agency: BDA Sports
  3. Thunder – James Harden SG – Agency: Landmark Sports Agency
  4. Kings – Tyreke Evans PG/SG – Agency: Wasserman Media Group
  5. Timberwolves – Ricky Rubio PG – Agency: BEST
  6. Timberwolves – Jonny Flynn PG – Agency: CAA
  7. Warriors – Stephen Curry PG/SG – Agency: Octagon
  8. Knicks – Jordan Hill PF – Agency: BDA Sports
  9. Raptors – Demar DeRozan SG/SF – Agency: Goodwin Sports Management
  10. Bucks – Brandon Jennings PG – Agency: BDA Sports
  11. Nets – Terrence Williams SG/SF – Agency: Goodwin Sports Management
  12. Bobcats – Gerald Henderson SG – Agency: Wasserman Media Group
  13. Pacers – Tyler Hansbrough PF – Agency: Excel Sports Management
  14. Suns – Earl Clark SF/PF – Agency: BEST
  15. Pistons – Austin Daye SF/PF – Agency: BDA Sports
  16. Bulls – James Johnson SF/PF – Agency: Wasserman Media Group
  17. 76ers – Jrue Holiday PG/SG – Agency: BEST
  18. Timberwolves – Ty Lawson PG – Agency: Peake Management Group
  19. Hawks – Jeff Teague PG/SG – Agency: BDA Sports
  20. Jazz – Eric Maynor PG – Agency: ASM Sports
  21. Hornets – Darren Collison PG – Agency: BDA Sports
  22. Trailblazers – Victor Claver PF – Agency: Wasserman Media Group
  23. Kings – Omri Casspi SF/PF – Agency: CAA
  24. Mavericks – B.J. Mullens C – Agency: ASM Sports
  25. Thunder – Rodrigue Beaubois PG – Agency: Comsport
  26. Bulls – Taj Gibson PF – Agency: Priority Sports
  27. Grizzlies – DeMarre Carroll SF/PF – Agency: Priority Sports
  28. Timberwolves – Wayne Ellington SG – Agency: Wasserman Media Group
  29. Knicks – Toney Douglas PG/SG – Agency: FAME
  30. Cavaliers – Christian Eyenga SG/SF – Agency: ASM Sports

Notes:

  • Leading up to the draft, I really liked that Goodwin Sports Management was doing to get its clients connected on social networks.  My man Nate Jones, a law student at UCLA, has been doing a great job helping out Aaron Goodwin and Co. on publicizing GSM client Twitter accounts and setting up Rookie Chronicles.
  • BDA Sports seems to have dodged any potential negative recruiting ramifications from the company’s involvement with the O.J. Mayo scandal.  Three BDA clients were taken in the top ten picks of the draft.  Four BDA clients went in the top fifteen.  Six in the top twenty-one!  Where WMG made the headlines last year, BDA definitely took over the 2009 draft.
  • Speaking of WMG, the company had three players taken in the top sixteen picks.  And BEST had three guys selected in the top seventeen picks.  WMG still dominated with five total draft picks in the first round.
  • The first Israeli player drafted was taken by the Kings.  The fairly new GM of the Kings is a friend, Jason Levien.  I am happy for him because I think Omri Casspi was a steal at the slot picked, and Levien is supporting the Jews!
  • One of my favorite players in the draft, Toney Douglas, was taken by a team who I think will really benefit from drafting him.  Knicks fans should be happy with that pick.
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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.