So what do you think of our new layout?  Not only are we flashing a new design, but we switched servers, which should mean no more downtime (until we start hitting ESPN type page views).  I have officially had my Twitter name switched from @Darren_Heitner to @DarrenHeitner.  Can’t say that I am shocked that there is a lawsuit filed against the NFL and Riddell based on allegedly concealing brain injury risks.  I have done a lot of research on that particular subject and wrote an article about it on our sister site, ChangeLegal.com.  I know a lot of our readers are taking a state (or multiple states) Bar Exam within the next week.  To all of you, good luck!  Hopefully you will soon have ,Esq. at the end of your names.  Here are some stories I missed over the past week:

Baseball

• From Philadelphia Phillies farm system to partner at Creative Artists Agency (CAA) Baseball [Ballplayer turned sports agent Joe Urbon covers all the bases for his talented clients].

Shabbat Shalom: Friday Wrap-Up (7/22/11) from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

Derrick Williams just finished his Sophomore season at the University of Arizona.  During the NCAA Tournament, quite a few people said that Williams was one of, if not the, best college players in America.

On March 24, 2011, I looked at which agents and agencies have signed talented Arizona basketball players over the past few years.  I noted that BDA Sports and Landmark Sports Agency both seem to be in the lead with two players each, but that it seemed as though anybody had a shot at Derrick Williams.  At the time, I knew that BDA Sports, Landmark Sports Agency, and Wasserman Media Group were in the running, and time has told who the victor will be.

According to HoopsHype, Rob Pelinka of Landmark Sports Agency has recently signed Williams.

Derrick Williams, a potential No. 1 pick in the draft, has signed with agent Rob Pelinka, sources told HoopsHype. http://bit.ly/hAAEtT

April 25, 2011 3:33 pm via FaWaveReplyRetweetFavorite

@hoopshype

HoopsHype.com

Other players currently represented by Pelinka at Landmark Sports Agency include Kobe Bryant, Derek Fisher, Andre Iguodala, and Carlos Boozer.

Derrick Williams Picks Rob Pelinka Of Landmark Sports Agency from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

The Spurs hit the wall recently by losing six straight games. In that span, the Los Angeles Lakers stayed hot and closed to within two games of the Western Conference lead. But the Spurs key players recovered from their injuries, got back in the lineup and the Spurs have now won three straight.

Even so, not many people believe the Spurs can win an NBA Championship this year. It’s not that they aren’t good enough to beat some of the weaker teams they’ll face in the first or second round of the Western Conference playoffs, it’s just that most people have little faith that they can beat the two-time defending champion Los Angeles Lakers in a seven-game series.

The Spurs are an elderly team, and as the season has worn on, their players have started to play their age a little bit – players such as Tim Duncan. The fact of the matter is that unless he is elite, the Spurs won’t win as a team. And while he’s been good, he hasn’t been dominant.

Coach Gregg Popovich is really monitoring Duncan’s minutes and trying to keep them to a minimum to keep him fresh for the playoffs. Duncan has averaged 28.4 minutes per game this season, which is the lowest of his career.

The Lakers are younger virtually across the board, and the tandem of Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol are still in their prime. Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili are all past it.

The Spurs have a shot, but not many people believe they will actually be crowned champions for the 2010-11 season.

Spurs Right The Ship…But For How Long? from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

1. Arn Tellem (Pau Gasol, Joe Johnson, Brandon Roy)
2. Dan Fegan (Dwight Howard, Jason Richardson, Troy Murphy)
3. Jeff Schwartz (Paul Pierce, Al Jefferson, Tyson Chandler)
4. Rob Pelinka (Kobe Bryant, Carlos Boozer, Andre Iguodala)
5. Bill Duffy (Tayshaun Prince, Steve Nash, Rajon Rondo)
6. Leon Rose (Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul, LeBron James)
7. Mark Bartelstein (Danny Granger, David Lee, Mo Williams)
8. Andy Miller (Kevin Garnett, Chauncey Billups, Andre Miller)
9. Bob Myers (Brandon Roy, TJ Ford, JJ Reddick)
10. Jim Tanner (Tim Duncan, Ray Allen, Hedo Turkoglu)
11. Henry Thomas (Chris Bosh, Dwyane Wade, Devin Harris)
12. Raymond Brothers (Zach Randolph, Ben Gordon, Caron Butler)

My only comment is that the author might want to change the photo for Andy Miller.  Instead of displaying Miller, the list displays Keith Glass.  Miller can’t be pleased with the error; Miller had to pay Glass $40,000 in damages earlier this year after an arbitrator found that Miller recruited Glass’ client.

A Top 10 Agent List Has A Notable Error from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

Basketball

• Basketball players continue to think global; look for this trend to continue [Kobe Bryant To Endorse Turkish Airlines].
• Two Facebook status updates and three Twitter mentions [Suns First To Offer Social Media Suite Package].
• I agree with Professor McCann…I don’t see the NBPA going ahead with decertification [Implications of an NBPA decertification].
• Mark Bartelstein is advising his clients to vote in favor of decertification [N.B.A. Players Voting on Step Toward Dissolving Union].

Baseball

• As the federal jobless rate hovers around 10% [MLB's average salary eclipses $3M].
• At 41-years-young, he has many years of success ahead of him [Darek Braunecker, Agent for Cliff Lee, Is Getting Noticed].
• Certainly a lot of activity as of late [Weiner: Changes in MLB free agent rules seem to be working].
• Not that many other teams would want to inherit that contract [Jayson Werth has a full no-trade clause].

Shabbat Shalom: Friday Wrap-Up (12/17/2010) from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

The NBA finals are just around the corner, and although it looks to be an entertaining series, we all know it’s just something to keep us busy until the long awaited 2010 Free Agency. Where is LeBron going to play next year? Who will run the floor with D-Wade? Where are Bosh and his YouTube antics going to land? All great questions, but none of which can be answered until the NBA finals are done and over with. In all honesty, the NBA finals are going to be great. It is a matchup with so much fire, ability, and best of all, predisposed hatred. The Celtics and Lakers have met 11 times in the NBA finals (the Celtics have taken 9 of those matchups), and the 12^th time looks to be a great series. Let’s take a look, piece by piece, at the series that looms in the balance.

Point Guard:

To tell you the truth, I don’t think I need to say much here. The point guard matchup pins 95-year-old Derek Fisher against the one of the league’s best up and coming stars in Rajon Rondo. Rondo has the clear advantage with his ability to do almost everything (except shoot from this outside), in this matchup, but do not underestimate the leadership ability of Derek Fisher. Fisher has been to this stage many times, and provides a poised leadership presence on the floor for this Laker team.

Winner: Rajon Rondo

Shooting Guard:

The shooting guards for these two teams play extremely different roles in the scheme of their respective gameplans. Kobe IS the Lakers. His killer mentality and unparalleled skill has taken him to heights unimaginable. He is easily one of the best players to ever step onto the hardwood, and some argue he could go down as the best ever. Ray Ray on the other hand is more of a role player in the Celtics scheme. His stroke from the outside is absolutely gorgeous and his consistency on that shot is a huge plus for the Celtics. As much as Ray Ray does for the Celtics, it’s pretty much a no-brainer here…

Winner: Kobe Bryant aka the Black Mamba

Small Forward:

The matchup at small forward is a very intriguing one. It pins a defensive minded bruiser in Ron Artest against the fluid and extremely effective, yet slow moving animal that is Paul Pierce. Artest has been very up and down these playoffs, even getting into a small war of words with the Zen Master himself. His shot has struggled, but with a player like Artest, he can always fall back on his defense and defer on the offensive end. Pierce has also been a little up and down, but for the most part he has, as always, picked his spots on the court and has been an effective player whenever on the hardwood. He has continually stepped up in trying situations, and for that reason, the C’s have an advantage at the 3-spot. Although I am giving the advantage to the C’s, do not underestimate Artest’s ability to diffuse the fire that is Paul Pierce’s offensive game. This battle will be a great one to watch.

Winner: Paul “I need a wheelchair” Pierce

Power Forward:

Of all the matchups, this is by far the best on the court. It does not get much better than a matchup of Kevin Garnett vs. Pau Gasol. KG has been great these playoffs. He has played with the passion that got him his first championship in 2008, and has done whatever is necessary to win. He has brought back the nasty fighting mentality to the Celtics that was missing in last year’s playoff run. KG has a spectacular skill set. He has the ability to handle the ball within fifteen feet of the rim, and has one of the best midrange jump shots for a 7-footer. His tenacity on the defensive end and the boards is a great asset for the Celtics. Pau is also an unbelievable specimen. At times in this postseason, he has carried the Lakers. He has the ability to put up 30 and 15 on any given night. His back-to-the-basket game has improved greatly over the past few years, and he now has one of the most effective post games in the league. He has also been great on the offensive boards this postseason. With rumors that Kobe’s body is tired enough to the point where he is no longer going through full practices, Pau is easily the most important person on the team after Kobe. The Spaniard is going to have to play a major role in this Finals series, and I think he is up to the task.

Winner: Pau Gasol

Center:

The center matchup is a matchup of two big-men in the middle. Both have the job of altering shots on the defensive end, boarding on the offensive and defensive end, and setting picks in the high screen and role. I’m going to have to give the advantage here to the Celtic’s, mainly because Bynum is battling knee issues. In the past week, Bynum had his knee drained of fluid, and it is rumored that his knee has already filled back up. The real question is…Will Bynum even play in the Finals, and if he does, will he even be effective?

Winner: Kendrick Perkins

Bench:

The Lakers feature a bench of Jordan Farmar, Sasha Vujacic, Lamar Odom, Luke Walton, Shannon Brown, and Josh Powell. The Celtics feature a bench comprised of Big Baby Davis, Rasheed Wallace, Tony Allen, Nate Robinson, Marquis Daniels, and Michael Finley.  Both teams get great production from their benches, but there is one thing that sticks out when I watch the Celtics play. Not one person on that team is scared to take a big shot. At any given time, any player on the court is ready to play and ready to sacrifice their bodies for the good of the game.

Winner: Celtics

Coach:

Phil “The Zen Master” Jackson is obviously one of the greatest coaches of all time. He loves playing head games with his opposition, as fans have  seen this postseason. He has already begun talking about his next opponent in the Celtics. The triangle offense has proven to be extremely successful. On the other sideline, we have Doc Rivers. Doc, in his own right, is also an extremely successful coach. His ability to get his players to dedicate themselves to play great defense has allowed his teams to continually be successful. He has the uncanny ability to get his players to buy into his system and to trust one another. The Celtics are truly a team.

Winner: Phil Jackson, but with Doc as a very close second

Verdict: We’ve now taken a look at the upcoming Finals matchup and it’s time to come to a final verdict. I personally believe that the Celtics dedication to defense is going to slow down the game a bit, and ultimately play into the Celtics favor. All post-season, there has been talk about how the Lakers front line is so long, but with Bynum ailing, this is going to push Pau to the 5 and Odom will fill in at the 4. Although this is still a big front line, I believe that Celtics have the size to counter. With a starting front line of Garnett and Perkins and a rotating bench of Big Baby and Rasheed, the Celtics have plenty of size to win the Battle down low. All in all, I seem to feel that the Celtics are going to take this series, but not without a great fight from the Lakers. The Celtics struggled in the second half of the season, but now with everybody healthy, they are, as in 2008, looking like a team of destiny. This is their last chance at a championship with this team, and it looks like they are going to bring one back to Boston, with Rondo holding the Finals MVP trophy.

NBA Finals Preview from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

March Madness may be just a few weeks away, but for the Purdue Boilermakers, the excitement may have ended February 24^th with the loss of Robbie Hummel.

While it’s a given that Purdue will be in the Tournament, the question is, how far will they go? The answer lies in a simple equation: Team – Hummel = not far. This season Hummel has averaged almost 16 points and 7 rebounds per game, leading the team in boards.

You can’t deny it; the guy was the ‘x-factor,’ an irreplaceable player, a dark knight in the fight for Tournament glory. Now it’s up to the rest of the team to prove that the dream is still alive. It’s definitely possible that the Boilermakers could face multiple hungry mid-majors as well as even a Big-12 or a Big East power, testing every newcomer attempting to fill the void left by Hummel.

If there is any comfort to the situation, Notre Dame is succeeding without their gunner, Luke Harangody, and in the NBA, the Los Angeles Lakers, who won four out of five without their star, Kobe Bryant, are solid heading into the playoffs.

However, the NCAA Tournament is much less forgiving. One loss and you’re out!

Tourney Hopes in Turmoil from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

My reading of Matthew’s piece is at a very apropos time.  I just placed my first basketball client overseas, and earlier today, discussed a possible NCAA rule change that would allow high school graduates to play professionally overseas and retain their student-athlete eligibility.  I believe that the rule change would open the NBA up to even more competition against the international market; athletes will be more comfortable with traveling across the ocean to play in a foreign country if they have previous experience playing there before college.

Matthew’s premise is that basketball competition overseas is now credible, which serves as a big threat to the NBA under its current collective bargaining agreement (CBA).  The The Union of European Leagues of Basketball (ULEB) and its exclusive Euroleague have been able to acquire strong talent from the United States in the past few years.  While the NBA does not allow any athletes under the age of 19 to play its game, FIBA (the entity in charge of creating rules and regulations in Europe), allows 18-year-olds to play in the ULEB.  FIBA does not regulate player contracts or salary caps, but teams may be bound by their country’s or European Union’s labor laws.  No salary cap means that players will be valued properly…remember rumors of Kobe Bryant considering going overseas…purely because the NBA’s salary cap restricts his ceiling.

Other benefits of playing overseas include the creativity that owners are able to use to secure players.  They often offer cars, residences, rent, and flights in their contracts.  Sometimes, players are even given the right to become partial owners of their team and can sell advertising space on their uniforms.  And then compare the Euro to the U.S. Dollar.

Meanwhile, the NBA implements a salary cap, allows owners the possibility to have restricted free agents, and tells 18-year-olds ready to play after high school, that they have to wait a year.

Epps says that a free agent transfer agreement with Euroleague is not plausible.  It would be challenged in U.S. and EU courts.  Instead, Commissioner Stern might want to consider expanding into Europe now, and create a few NBA teams across the Atlantic Ocean to compete in an NBA Europe.  I believe that an NBA Europe is an interesting idea, but it would have to be totally distinct from the NBA in the U.S.  Although there could be a “World Championship” between the winner of the NBA Finals and NBA Europe Finals.  That would make for some good T.V.

Another solution: Get rid of this one-and-done rule!

The NBA Is Losing Its Competitive Edge from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

Contractual negotiations are not all about the final number published by columnists on Yahoo! Sports and ESPN.  In fact, athletes often sign with teams that do not make the largest offer.  For some players, though, an extra million means a lot and they will do whatever it takes to get that extra coin, even if it means leaving your hometown, even if it means leaving a team that could repeat as champions of the league.  But what if that team based in your hometown that has the impressive winning record is willing to pay the same amount of money as every other team?  Do you press your luck?  Do you insult the front office in the process?

Trevor Ariza is a great defender.  He showed his skill throughout the 2009 NBA Playoffs.  I can distinctly remember many pivotal steals that helped the Lakers bring a championship back to L.A.  Unfortunately for Ariza, he and his agent refused a deal in the offseason from the Lakers and Ariza is now stuck in Houston, receiving roughly the same amount he would have made in a new deal with Los Angeles.  On the flip side, Artest gets out of Houston, which has many problems to overcome.  Will Yao Ming ever play again?  When is the last time Tracy McGrady had an impact outside of cheering on the bench?  These are now concerns for Ariza and his agent, David Lee, who once felt he had the strong hand in negotiations with the Lakers.

Los Angeles is abuzz over Kobe + Artest.  Kobe has a buddy in Artest, who can give him more of a break on defense.  Additionally, Kobe no longer has to worry about Artest covering him with his smothering defense in any pivotal games.  Los Angeles may miss Ariza, but probably no where near the amount that Ariza will miss L.A.

Maybe Ariza will be happy in his new role with the Rockets.  He should receive more playing time and will be relied on much more than he was with the Lakers.  Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports has a different take:

He’s a good player, but he’ll never be a star elsewhere. He’ll just be another player on another team.

Then again, players move around all the time in the NBA.  If Ariza is not happy in Houston in a year or two, I am sure we will hear trade rumors involving the Suns or Warriors (for some reason I feel as though I always hear those two teams come up in trade rumors).  Or he could drop his verbal commitment to the rockets and sign with the Cavaliers…at least Mo Williams thinks that is what Ariza once thought until he said this.

Ariza, Ariza, ¡Ándale! from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

Bryant, who already has deals with Coca-Cola Co. and Nike Inc., is now teaming up with Madrid-born watch-maker Ivan Castro to sell a Kobe-inspired line of Swiss watches for Nubeo, The Wall Street Journal reports.

A limited number of watches in The Black Mamba series will be produced with a reference to Bryant’s nickname. The high-end time pieces will range from $21,000 to $285,000 across three different versions: standard, ultimate, and MVP. There will be 810 standard version watches released, 240 of the ultimate, and 24 MVP watches with the two higher models adorned with a varying amount of black sapphires. The 810 release number is a reference to the 81 points Bryant scored against the Toronto Raptors in January 2006 and the 240 and 24 release numbers both allude to Bryant’s jersey number.

The line will hit the U.S. market in the fall, which will also be Nubeo’s first American appearance, coming at a time when global luxury consumption continues to drop. The company, though, is planning a series of print and TV ads that will run around the release date. The partnership between Bryant and Nubeo will extend until 2010, with the option to continue beyond that year.

Bryant, a watch enthusiast himself, has taken an involved stance in influencing the watch’s design. He feels that there are similarities between the watch and Bryant’s on-court play, in that there are many unseen intricacies.

Whether the line will find success remains to be seen, but Bryant’s partnership with a luxury item, which generally remains reserved for tennis and golf stars, proves his worth as a marketable athlete. Bryant has made a huge comeback following the trial of his accused felony sexual assault charge which saw Kobe lose many of his endorsements.

Bryant continues to make his mark as a trendsetter. How an NBA player’s influence will affect a declining luxury market is something to watch for and could dictate future deals for the international superstar.

Watch Out for Kobe’s Newest Endorsement from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules