With the NBA still no closer to a resolution over the lockout, many players are upping their interest in playing overseas.  First off, it was the fringe players who sought out deals, realizing that their playing career in the NBA would be most hurt  by the stoppage.

Noting this, recently re-signed Portland Trailblazers guard Patty Mills rejected overtures from Europe to come back to his hometown of Melbourne, Australia to sign with the Melbourne Tigers. Patty Mills could have accepted more money elsewhere, but the idea of playing in his hometown won him over.

Australia’s NBL isn’t a particularly strong league, with crowds ranging between 2,000-5,000, and sometimes more for blockbusters. With the addition of Patty Mills, a growth in crowd numbers of around 20% per game would not be out of the question, which would result in a win for the league.

The ‘Crown Jewel’ of Australian Basketball is by far Andrew Bogut. The former No. 1 overall pick has flourished in Milwaukee, and his success has led to increased coverage in his home country. Whilst Andrew would love to play in the NBL during the lockout, there is one major hurdle – his insurance.

With Andrew due to make around $40 million over the next three seasons, he wants to make sure his insured in the case that he goes down due to injury. The insurance figure alone is $500,000.  This has scared off many teams, leaving primarily the Sydney Kings doing the most wooing.

I don’t think think the salary paid to Bogut during his NBL stint is the major factor, but more-so the clubs facilities and ambitions. With the Sydney Kings operating in the biggest market in Australia, this could be the deciding point.

The interest in playing in Asutralia’s national league doesn’t just stop at the two Australians. Patty Mills’ Portland teammate Wesley Matthews recently had a twitter exchange with Patty about whether there’s room down there for him. However, with only two teams holding spots for imports on their rosters, the move seems unlikely.

Now, a new player has emerged – Bogut’s Milwaukee teammate Brandon Jennings. Jennings recently tweeted the following:

“Seriously thinking about going to Australia to play with @AndrewMBogut………..”

“I’ll come to Australia if @AndrewMBogut let me borrow couple cars while i’m out there….”

While you can’t read too much into the tweets, it certainly opens up the possibility, especially with Andrew Bogut driving the move. However, a club would have to move its current import for him if it were interested.

The NBA lockout certainly has afforded opportunities to many overseas leagues and fans to see the best talent in basketball, and it appears Australia is one of many who will be in luck.

With Patty Mills Signed, Will Andrew Bogut Follow To The NBL? from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

The same thing is likely to occur in professional basketball.  As Sam Amick of Sports Illustrated writes,

Some agents with a longer list of clients have partnerships that will come in handy now, such as Mark Bartelstein with trainer Don Maclean at the 360 Health Club outside Los Angeles and Arn Tellem with trainer Rob McClanahan in Santa Monica. But numerous front-office sources who spoke to SI.com for this story were skeptical that players would be disciplined enough to stay in shape throughout a prolonged lockout.

Certainly agents and agencies with large client lists and expansive bank accounts will be able to front the costs for their rookie clients who need help paying for their training expenses.  However, will these agents and agencies provide any assistance for their veteran clients who have already amassed millions of dollars throughout their careers?  As we know with the NFL, veterans are not immune to poor spending habits and a need to take out lockout loans.  If the same exists for NBA players, expect players to come running to their agents for assistance.  If agents are unable or unwilling to help, perhaps we see basketball players start switching agents with the same time of frequency that NFL players have switched this offseason.  However, the National Basketball Players Association still exists as a formal union (for the time being) and will certainly be keeping an eye on any agent recruiting of represented players during the lockout.

Agents Bare Burden For Offseason Training During Lockout from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

The NBA draft is right around the corner and whatever number your player is picked, he’s going to have to pick up not only his game, but also his business skills, unless he wants to end up as one of the 60 percent of NBA players who are broke within five years of retirement.  Some pro athletes have it down, and I have been privileged to provide legal counsel to a number of professional athletes who have their act together.  But no matter who your player is, they each face similar issues, and what separates them is how they handle the pressure.  So before your player signs his first big shoe deal, here’s a list of business moves that he should make.

#1:       Get Extra Insurance and a Will

Your player needs to look into getting life, primary and umbrella coverage, and disability insurance, as well as a will.  While the death of your player is unlikely, it’s not unheard of, as more than 100 NBA, MLB, and NFL athletes have died during their careers.  Without a significant life insurance policy on top of the minimal one that may be provided to all players under the league’s collective bargaining agreement, death would mean financial ruin for those who will soon depend upon his income.  This is especially true if there’s a lockout, when benefits could be rescinded or suspended.  When the NFL’s Darrent Williams was murdered, the life insurance coverage provided under the league’s collective bargaining agreement was insufficient to provide for his two kids, causing the Broncos to establish a fund for fans to help provide for his kids’ futures.

Your player also needs a significant primary and umbrella liability policy, which will provide protection from the lawsuits he may be hit with now that he’s a professional.  If he’s using social media, make sure the policy covers claims like libel, which are not always included.

And since he hasn’t yet built up his bank account, a disability policy should be considered to protect him from a career-ending injury leaving him broke.  Your player may not get the same treatment as the NBA’s Jay Williams, whose contract was voided from a career-ending motorcycle injury, yet the Chicago Bulls were kind enough to pay him out.  This is especially true given the pending NBA lockout, because with no guaranteed contract available during the lockout, an injury during an informal workout or other activity could leave your player with no future income and no health insurance.

Finally, remind your player that a will likely only costs a few thousand dollars, but can prevent disastrous consequences.  For example, when the Redskins’ Sean Taylor died without a will, only his daughter inherited, leaving the rest of his relatives that had previously relied on his income with nothing.  When Steve McNair died without a will, he left his family with no access to his $19 million estate for more than a year.

#2:       Play Defense With Money

Given the high income/short career span of your pro athlete, a conservative investment approach is the way for him to get and stay rich.  Many athletes are enticed into alternative investments either by friends, family, or new acquaintances.  Unfortunately, these investments are unlikely to make 50 Cent money, so any opportunity should be vetted by an advisor who is highly qualified and, most importantly, who has no stake in the outcome.  At the very least, your player should set aside only 10 to 15 percent of his liquid net worth for these higher-risk investments.  Learn from Scottie Pippen, who went broke within six years of retirement, losing $120 million in career earnings, with $27 million lost on bad business deals.

#3:        Limit Risk on Endorsements

If your player decides to have an ownership stake in a corporation he’s endorsing, make sure that the company he’s investing in provides insurance and agrees in writing to defend legal claims on his behalf.  And if the product is high-risk, like a nutritional supplement or new-fangled sports device, make the company provide a legal opinion vetting the legality of the product and its marketing claims, since federal law says your player may be personally liable for his endorsements.  At a minimum, he should be very careful about representations he personally makes, about the product or that the company attributes to him.  Both Shaq and Lamar Odom learned this from the class-action lawsuit they are currently facing for their endorsement of Power Balance bracelets, which alleges that they should have known there was no reasonable basis for the marketing claims they made about the product’s benefits.

#4:       Add Value to an Existing Foundation

It’s likely that your player has no time, isn’t an expert in running a charitable organization, and that his pet cause is probably already being served by a qualified, well-run organization.  If true, he may be better served helping out pre-existing organizations, rather than creating his own.  There are obviously positive exceptions, like Alonzo Mourning Charities and the Steve Nash Foundation, but starting and maintaining a foundation costs hundreds of thousands of dollars and requires navigating complicated law.  In a best-case situation, it will likely be years before your player’s foundation makes a significant difference, and at worst, he’ll end up like ex-Cub Sammy Sosa, who was awarded MLB’s Roberto Clemente Man of the Year award for charity work and only one year later, his foundation faced allegations of misuse of funds.

#5:       Get His Online House in Order

Given that more Americans get their news from the Internet than from newspapers or radio, it’s critical for your player to establish an online brand.  Having a lawyer stop the online imposters and cybersquatters is a great way to start.  Ask Chris Bosh, who sued when he got tired of not being able to use his dot-com and not only won it back, but also offered to return more than 800 other cybersquatted athlete domain names to NBA players like Danny Grainger and Jared Dudley.  Ask the ex-New England Patriot Rodney Harrison, who had an imposter use his Twitter handle to pick a fight with the Jets’ Kerry Rhodes without Rhodes realizing it.  Or the Miami Dolphins’ Davone Bess, whose Twitter imposter hosted a fake chat and even got the Tennessee Titans’ Chris Johnson to agree to a footrace.

Once the brand is under control, your player needs to avoid messages that make him fodder for Deadspin and TMZ.  Every post effectively constitutes a press release, so they should be vetted carefully.  The WNBA’s Cappie Pondexter learned that lesson after her offensive Tweets about the Japan tsunami.  So did the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Rashard Mendenhall, whose four-year Champion endorsement deal was recently terminated after his offensive Bin Laden Tweets.  As did both Gilbert Arenas and Reggie Bush, when Arenas was fined by the NBA for Tweets about sexting and Bush was publicly criticized when he Tweeted how much he was enjoying the NFL lockout. And if your player is too busy to post his own messages, make sure that whoever is posting on his behalf is overly cautious.  Learn from Braylon Edwards of the New York Jets, who was sitting in jail after an arrest while someone embarrassingly tweeted, “Good Morning World!”, under his Twitter account.

#6:         Use A Corporation Properly

There is value to your player in setting up an LLC or corporation, although the true value lies in knowing what benefits the corporation actually provides and in using the corporation properly.  Many set up a corporation mistakenly thinking that it’s some sort of tax shelter, but its main purpose is actually to shield the player’s personal assets from lawsuits.  However, that protection will only be available if the player keeps the corporation in good standing with the state and observes other legal formalities, actually enters into business deals through the corporation, pays his staff via the corporation, has his cars owned by the corporation, and generally doesn’t treat the corporation like a personal piggy-bank.  While that all sounds totally obvious, more often than not, we see players fail to abide by these simple rules.

So good luck to your player on draft day.  But remember, what’s really important is not the deal they make today, but what they do over the coming years that will shape their future.

Brian Heidelberger is a partner and Chair of the Advertising, Marketing, and Entertainment Law Practice at Winston & Strawn LLP, a global law firm, and has provided legal advice to a myriad of professional athletes, including Dwayne Wade, Luol Deng, Donovan McNabb and Kevin Durant, and represented Chris Bosh in his 2009 cybersquatting case (bheidelberger@winston.com & www.winston.com/bheidelberger).

Business Moves Your NBA Player Should Make As Soon As He’s Drafted from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

Darren Heitner: When did you start Walton Sports Management Group (WSMG), and what drove you to create your own company?

Austin Walton: I started Walton Sports in the middle of 2009. I decided to start WSMG at that point because I felt as though I had enough experience, the requisite contacts, and ultimately I wanted to create and run an agency according to my values and core beliefs.

Darren Heitner: How old were you when you started WSMG?  Were there a lot of people who doubted you?  What were common things that people said to you?

Austin Walton: I was 25 when I started Walton Sports, which is extremely young in this business. I have been told that I am the youngest CEO of a basketball agency and with that comes a lot of doubters. Many people thought that I should have continued to gain experience learning from others. Others thought that I would not be able to compete against big agencies for top prospects and they would use my age against me. Last, in this business where being unethical is the norm and having runners recruit for you is commonplace, people thought that it was silly for me to think that I could do this honestly and on my own essentially.

Darren Heitner: Tell us about your educational background, which includes a bachelor’s degree, Masters, and J.D.

Austin Walton: I received my Bachelor’s in Business Administration from the University of South Florida. Then, I went on to receive my Master’s in Sports Administration from Valparaiso University before finally getting my law degree from South Texas College of Law in Houston, Texas.

Darren Heitner: Prior to starting up WSMG you interned at Dynasty Athlete Representation and then ran its basketball division.  What would you tell others looking to break into the industry with regards to internships with an agency?

Austin Walton: I think that an internship is the only way that you can break into this business unless you were a former athlete or have countless of connections with athletes. As an intern you truly get to see how an agency is run from the inside. You get to see how hard this business truly is. It is nothing like it is portrayed on television. It is a dog-eat-dog industry and I would venture to say that after many people finish an internship they are turned off by the profession. I will say that it is very tough to break into this business, everyone wants to work in sports. You should start early and work anywhere you can in this industry.

Darren Heitner: You have placed a number of basketball players overseas.  Please describe the process you go through when seeking an opening and then pitching a player to that team.

Austin Walton: Well, I work with numerous of European agents who aide me in helping to place my players overseas. This is the most effective way, because they have formed established relationships in their country and/or region and can communicate much easier than myself with teams for numerous reasons. Now, due to my experience and the amount of players that I have been able to place overseas over the years, I have garnered many relationships with teams as well, so that helps.

Darren Heitner: Many people are reporting that one of your clients has a good chance of being selected in the 2011 NBA Draft.  Tell us a little bit about that man, Andrew Goudelock.

Austin Walton: Plain and simple Andrew Goudelock has a NBA skill. He is the BEST shooter in this year’s draft class. He has unlimited range, a quick release, flawless mechanics, and he shoots a very high percentage given the amount of three’s that he took over the course of his career at the College of Charleston. However, Andrew is not just a one-dimensional player. He has shown time and time again throughout this process that he is a scorer who can fill it up in a multitude of ways, he is one of the best athletes in the draft as evidenced by his NBA combine athletic testing scores, and he is an underrated passer and defender. On June 23rd Andrew should be a late first round pick based on the feedback that I have gotten from NBA teams. That is amazing considering the fact that he was not on a single mock draft; not one when he signed with me nor was he even in the top 100 prospects. Everyone considered him an overseas player, but I knew he was more than that. Then, he was dominant at the Portsmouth Invitational and then the New Jersey mega workout. That translated to an invitation to Chicago which allowed him to perform against the elite prospects and he performed admirably. He tested well and had the best shooting performance there over the likes of Jimmer Fredette and Klay Thompson. We worked really hard and have secured him 17 NBA workouts so that he can be seen by every team from picks 17 through 41 essentially. Now, I am confident that he goes somewhere between 23-38 overall.

Darren Heitner: Take us through the recruitment process leading up to signing Andrew Goudelock.

Austin Walton: It was a similar process to anyone that I recruit, but each client/prospect is unique in different ways. As for Drew, we have a very similar demeanor and approach. We are very confident and do not believe in backing down from a challenge. We wanted to take on the “top” prospects head on every chance that we got. From that a personality standpoint and philosophical standpoint we clicked and due to that he and his family selected me to represent him. Everything else has been history. As for my typical recruiting practices,  I do not recruit a ton of players like all of the big agencies, but the guys that I target are players that I have seen personally a bunch of times and I believe in very much. I start the process early and then show consistency throughout the entire process. I talk to them almost daily to build a relationship and show them that I will be by their side regardless. I go to watch them play a few times and then when the season is over I give them a formal presentation that talks about the agency, our plan for them if they were to sign with Walton Sports, and how we will get them to where they want to be. I am honest and straighy forward. That’s it!

Darren Heitner: How tough is it to recruit against the larger agencies?  What kind of tactics do you employ to separate yourself from the rest of the pack?

Austin Walton: I don’t think that it‘s tough recruiting against larger agencies because I know that I will sign at least 1 NBA player from here on out. I simply sell myself; I don’t have anyone else do it for me. I believe in my abilities and I am confident that I can help every kid that I recruit achieve their maximum potential and get them drafted as high as humanly possible because I know their game, make them a priority which is essential during this process because you only get one chance to make the NBA, and I have the time to dedicate myself to them because I do not represent a ton of guys like these other huge agencies. Last, I believe in them as NBA players which is why I invest in them whereas many other agencies do not push that hard for a guy who is labeled fringe player (Not a top 20-25 player) at the conclusion of his college season to make the NBA because they know how much work is required and the amount of money and time that is required. Look at what has happened with Andrew Goudelock for example, almost every big agency recruited him and they all told him that he was going to ultimately be an overseas player so he signed with me because we (him, his family and I) had a great relationship and I thought he had a legitimate shot of making the NBA and I laid out a plan for him which could make that a reality and it will be in a week. He went from a no name to be mentioned in a lot of publications as a first round pick.

Darren Heitner: Does WSMG represent anybody else who may have a shot of being drafted this year?

Austin Walton: Yes, Randy Culpepper out of UTEP has a legitimate shot of getting drafted this year. He too has had a bunch of workouts and has performed extremely well in all of them. He has gone head-to-head with Jimmer Fredette, Diante Garrett, BenHansborough, Brad Wannamaker, etc. and he was impressive in every single workout thus far. Randy is world-class athlete (43 inch vertical jump), dynamic scorer, good defender and he is an underrated passer and playmaker. At UTEP he played primarily off the ball, but he has shown in workouts that he is a scoring PG who is unguardable in the pick and roll due to his speed and athleticism. He is a very good shooter as well. With the recent success of players like J.J. Barea, Will Bynum and Nate Robinson, the NBA has a place for a diminutive scoring guard like Culpepper. He is one to watch in the last 15 picks.

Darren Heitner: Do you think that there will be a 2011-12 NBA season?  What concessions need to be made by players and owners in order for a new collective bargaining agreement to be signed before the planned start of next season?

Austin Walton: I certainly think that there will be an NBA season in 2011-12. I would expect the lockout to last no longer than the end of December. However, both sides seem to be very far apart at the moment so the next few weeks are very important. There needs to be concessions on both sides for sure. I will not get into what issues need to be dealt with because that is an entire conversation by itself, but there are many issues that need to be hashed out for the NBA to move forward.

Darren Heitner: Last, what should we expect from you and WSMG in the future?

Austin Walton: Expect very big things! Next year is going to be huge for Walton Sports. I fully expect to have a few guys drafted next season and I hope that will be a trend going forward. We only recruit who I consider to be elite athletes and high character individuals because those are the types of player’s that have long NBA careers. Hopefully, in a few years people will consider WSMG as an agency with power yet still be considered a family-based agency.

Interview With The Agent: Austin Walton from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

Sports Law

• Some ammo for Plaintiffs’ counsel in the Ed O’Bannon case? [Many Athletes Unknowingly Sign Away Rights to Profit From Their Images].
• The “roster management” approach to Title IX [College Teams, Relying on Deception, Undermine Gender Equity]

Football

• By purposely scoring bad in the preseason [Players may try to beat concussion tests].
• I don’t see Janoris Jenkins suing the NFL anytime soon [Janoris Jenkins could be the first to directly attack the draft].

Sports Business

• Based on Klout.com score.  I am 26 points behind him [Chad Ochocinco Tops Most Influential Athletes In Social Media List].

Basketball

• Michael McCann kills it on this one [Recent NFL ruling could drastically alter NBA's labor strategy].
• The NBPA gets ready for the next major sport labor battle [Report: NBA players could decertify].
• Includes names like Olu Ashaolu, Jacob Blankenship, and Keishawn Mayes? [NBA Announces Early Entry Candidates For 2011 NBA Draft].

Want to ask a football question to Phil Simms, Boomer Esiason, Chris Collinsworth and Howie Long?  You might even win a once in a lifetime trip.  Just click here!

Shabbat Shalom: Friday Wrap-Up (4/29/2011) from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

First Round

1. John Wall (Washington Wizards) - Dan Fegan (Lagardère) – Washington D.C. is getting used to having 1st overall picks.  Last year it was Strasburg.  This year, it is Harper and Wall.  This is the first draft for new NBA mover, Lagardère, which recently acquired Blue Entertainment Sports Television (BEST).  Nice way to make a splash with a #1 overall pick.
2. Evan Turner (Philadelphia 76ers) – David Falk – David Falk’s biggest draft client since re-launching his agency, FAME, back in 2007.  Falk is best known for his representation of Michael Jordan.
3. Derrick Favors (New Jersey Nets) – Wallace Prather – Prather represents NBA players Josh Smith, Randolph Morris, Javaris Crittenton, and Anthony Morrow.
4. Wesley Johnson (Minnesota Timberwolves) – Rob Pelinka – Pelinka represents quite a few players, but none more popular than Kobe Bryant.
5. DeMarcus Cousins (Sacramento Kings) – John Greig – A huge win for Greig. His other client is Pops Mensah-Bonsu.
6. Ekpe Udoh (Golden State Warriors) – Chris Grier Luchey – The music on his website really pumps me up. Interestingly designed, as well.
7. Greg Monroe (Detroit Pistons) – David Falk – 2nd David Falk client off of the board. Falk doesn’t spend much time recruiting these days, yet he still gets 2 clients drafted in the top 7.
8. Al-Farouq Aminu (Los Angeles Clippers) – Raymond Brothers – My man Justin Herzig swore by him before he ever set foot on Wake Forest’s campus.
9. Gordon Hayward (Utah Jazz) – Mark Bartelstein (Priority Sports) – I don’t see this as a reach. Nice pick by the Jazz.
10. Paul George (Indiana Pacers) – Aaron Mintz (Priority Sports) – 2 in a row off the board for Priority Sports. Tied with Falk for 2 clients taken in the top 10.
11. Cole Aldrich (New Orleans Hornets) – Jeff Schwartz (Excel Sports Management) – Schwartz represents the #1 pick from last year’s draft – Blake Griffin.
12. Xavier Henry (Memphis Grizzlies) – Arn Tellem (Wasserman Media Group) – I had the privilege of watching Henry play AAU ball for the Okalhoma based Athletes First team.  He is truly something special.
13. Ed Davis (Toronto Raptors) – Rob Pelinka – Pelinka’s 2nd client off the board.  Remember this post regarding Davis?
14. Patrick Patterson (Houston Rockets) – Odell McCants – This is McCants’ coming out party.  Patterson is the 3rd UK player selected thus far.
15. Larry Sanders (Milwaukee Bucks) – Happy Walters – Here is our Agent Spotlight on Walters.
16. Luke Babbitt (Minnesota Timberwolves) – Bill Duffy (BDA Sports) – BDA Sports represents stars like Steve Nash and Rajon Rondo.
17. Kevin Seraphin (Chicago Bulls) – Bouna Ndiaye (Comsport) – An agency that seems to strictly represent players born overseas.
18. Eric Bledsoe (Oklahoma City Thunder) – Leon Rose (CAA) – Definitely something to celebrate, although the real celebration will come once CAA finishes deals for Wade, Bosh, and LeBron this offseason.
19. Avery Bradley (Boston Celtics) – Mitchell Butler (Lagardère) – I have never heard of Mitchell Butler, but word is that he is working close with Dan Fegan for Bradley.
20. James Anderson (San Antonio Spurs) – Andy Miller (ASM Sports)
21. Craig Brackins (Oklahoma City Thunder) – Andy Miller (ASM Sports)
22. Elliot Williams (Portland Trail Blazers) – Thad Foucher  (Wasserman Media Group)
23. Trevor Booker (Minnesota Timberwolves) – Andy Miller (ASM Sports)
24. Damion James (Atlanta Hawks) – Mark Bartelstein (Priority Sports)
25. Dominique Jones (Memphis Grizzlies) – Mike Hodges – Name you may not know. Also represents Kyle Weaver.
26. Quincy Pondexter (Oklahoma City Thunder) – Arn Tellem (Wasserman Media Group)
27. Jordan Crawford (New Jersey Nets) – Aaron Mintz (Priority Sports)
28. Greivis Vasquez (Memphis Grizzlies) – Herb Rudoy (Interperformances)
29. Daniel Orton (Orlando Magic) – Raymond Brothers
30. Lazar Hayward (Washington Wizards) – Jeff Schwartz (Excel Sports Management)

Second Round

1. Tibor Pleiss (New Jersey Nets) – Rade Filipovich (BDA Sports)
2. Dexter Pittman (Miami Heat) – Reggie Brown (Priority Sports)
3. Hassan Whiteside (Sacramento Kings) – Andre Buck
4. Armon Johnson (Portland Trail Blazers) – Michael Lindeman (Excel Sports Management)
5. Nemanja Bjelica (Washington Wizards) – Herb Rudoy (Interperformances)
6. Terrico White (Detroit Pistons) – Bill Duffy (BDA Sports)
7. Darington Hobson (Milwaukee Bucks) – Mike Hodges
8. Andy Rautins (New York Knicks) – Bill Duffy (BDA Sports)
9. Landry Fields (New York Knicks) – Chris Emens (Octagon)
10. Lance Stephenson (Indiana Pacers) – Alberto Ebanks – Dug this up.
11. Jarvis Varnado (Miami Heat) – Kevin Bradbury (BDA Sports)
12. Da’Sean Butler (Miami Heat) – Richard Katz
13. Devin Ebanks (Los Angeles Lakers) – Andy Miller (ASM Sports)
14. Jerome Jordan (Milwaukee Bucks) – Todd Ramasar (BDA Sports)
15. Paulao Prestes (Minnesota Timberwolves) – Unknown
16. Gani Lawal (Phoenix Suns) – Andy Miller (ASM Sports)
17. Tiny Gallon (Milwaukee Bucks) – Marc Cornstein (Pinnacle Management)
18. Latavious Williams (Miami Heat) – Tony Dutt
19. Ryan Richards (San Antonio) – Herb Rudoy (Interperformances)
20. Solomon Alabi (Dallas Mavericks) – Bill Duffy (BDA Sports)
21. Magnum Rolle (Oklahoma City Thunder) – Fletcher Cockrell – Served a 2 year NCAA probation? Wrote a book.
22. Luke Harangody (Boston Celtics) – Mark Bartelstein (Priority Sports)
23. Pape Sy (Atlanta Hawks) – Levy Pascal
24. Willie Warren (Los Angeles Clippers) – Kim Grillier
25. Jeremy Evans (Utah Jazz) – Mike Naiditch (Naiditch EntertainmenT)
26. Hamady Ndiaye (Minnesota Timberwolves) – Keith Glass
27. Ryan Reid (Indiana Pacers) – Unknown
28. Derrick Caracter (Los Angeles Lakers) – Happy Walters
29. Stanley Robinson (Orlando Magic) – Andy Miller (ASM Sports)
30. Dwayne Collins (Phoenix Suns) – Mitch Frankel – Known as a football agent with Impact Sports.

Breaking Down The 2010 NBA Draft from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

Baseball

• I really don’t think that Scott Boras represents Freddy Krueger or the shark in Jaws [Know Thy Enemy: Scott Boras].

Football

• Forces a few agents to come to Indy early and creates a divide between agents who were invited and those on the outside [Union will brief agents on CBA progress February 24].
• It’s officially front office season [Upcoming Front Office Decisions].
• How does this hurt/help the UFL’s expansion plans? [The Arena Football League is back]
• Another one goes to Rosenhaus [Vickerson changes agents].

Basketball

• Arn Tellem’s best post to date, where he says, The awful truth: NBA players would be in a stronger position without a union [Stern und Drang].

Sports Agents

• Jeff Rubin could not have been pleased with the $10,000 bill [Tiger Woods Former Mistress Michelle Braun Runs Up Hotel Tab For Sports Agent In Miami].
• Lowell Taub answers Rovell’s questions as you would expect a smart agent to answer them [One-on-One With Bode Miller's Agent].

Shabbat Shalom: Friday Wrap-Up (2/19/2010) from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

It is difficult to deem anything involving Gilbert Arenas as a surprise anymore. However, storing guns in his locker and then being accused of drawing a weapon on teammate Javaris Crittenton during an alleged altercation over a gambling debt certainly is not only surprising, but alarming. With David Stern electing to suspend Arenas’ indefinitely without pay and criminal investigations still pending, the assumption, unfortunately, is that the worst is yet to come for Gilbert.

Suspensions regarding off the court infractions have typically been levied upon completion of criminal investigations, however this situation is extremely unique. With Arenas’ public comments, lack of any form of contrition and utter mockery of the situation with his “finger pistols” (pictured right) during introductions prior to Tuesday’s game, it is apparent that David Stern had seen enough. Wednesday Stern opted to suspend Arenas’ indefinitely pending completion of those investigations with additional sanctions likely. Stern’s statement even ominously included that the situation “will ultimately result in a substantial suspension, and perhaps worse”.

Off the court, Arenas now needs to turn his attention to the legal issues he faces. The strict gun laws of Washington DC, coupled with the fact that Arenas’ guns are not registered in DC but in Virginia where he resides, make severe fines and even jail time a legitimate possibility. While the situation is very unique, some elements are similar and will surely draw comparisons to the Plaxico Burress case, which unfortunately did end with jail time for Burress.

Gilbert Arenas does not retain the services of any agent or agency. In fact, Gilbert negotiated his own 6-year $111 million deal personally with the Wizards late owner, Abe Pollin. Surely, professional guidance in handling the situation from the start would have helped Arenas’ immensely. His initial denial, lack of any remorse, and attempt at chalking it up to a locker room prank, certainly exacerbated the situation and could have all been avoided.

Ultimately the remaining approximately $80 million of that contract may very well be in jeopardy. Depending on the duration of his suspension and potential charges he may face, the Washington Wizards would have the right to seek termination of his contract. As a dismantling of the Wizards roster, which has been underachieving this season has already been discussed, this unfortunately would be an avenue for the Wizards to eliminate their long term and immense monetary obligations to Arenas.

Arenas has long had the reputation of being a quirky, goofy guy. He said and did what he pleased seemingly not concerned with what other people thought. Sadly, those very qualities that made him an appealing athlete seem to have had a negative impact on the course of this unfortunate situation, and may have even been the cause.

The Saga That Is, Gilbert Arenas from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

After spending the previous fourteen games exiled to the bench by Coach Mike D’Antoni, having his agent publicly request a trade, and being fined $25,000 by the NBA for that request, Nate Robinson was given a shot at some playing time. Not only was he ready to contribute, he erupted for 41 points on 18/24 from the field and single handedly willed his team to an overtime victory against the Atlanta Hawks.

Robinson’s situation was starting to look strikingly similar to that of Stephen Jackson’s in Golden State before he was shipped out to Charlotte. Coach D’Antoni questioned Robinson’s attitude and focus; Robinson is known to be a bit erratic, for example throwing up a 3 pointer at his own basket as time expired at the end of a quarter. Robinson was benched for the reminder of that game, and was then entirely removed from D’Antoni’s rotation.  As the Knicks went on a successful run, winning seven of their next ten games, Robinson was pushed farther down the bench.

Finally, on December 19^th, Robinson’s agent Aaron Goodwin felt the need to step in and asked for his client to see some playing time or to be traded. “I can’t allow Nate to rot on Mike’s bench and not do anything about it. I can’t allow this to happen to his career.” The result of this request was not a trade, but the $25,000 fine levied by the NBA for what the league called, “public statements detrimental to the NBA.” Although a trade never occurred, Goodwin could not have hoped for a better resolution to his client’s benching.

His performance in Atlanta proved that despite his agent’s request to be traded, Robinson did not allow the benching for a full 30 days to affect his mindset or preparation for game action. Robinson had been working hard to stay in game shape, both mentally and physically, and when his number was called he was ready.

For Robinson and his agent Goodwin, this was especially important, because he was able to prove not only does he have the skills to provide that offensive spark off the bench that he has become known for, but that he also possesses the metal toughness to sit on the bench for 14 straight games and not allow himself to pout or give up. Instead, he consistently was the biggest cheerleader on the bench, was mentally involved in the games and patiently awaited his chance at retribution.

It is unknown whether or not there will be room for Nate Robinson on the Knicks next season; however, the qualities that he has displayed in his return will certainly bode well for him in attempting to secure a contract and a place on a team next season.

Nate the Great Returns From Exile from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

The 76ers, who have lost PG Lou Williams for eight weeks with a broken jaw, decided that Iverson was the “best available free agent guard” to take the place of Williams. Terms of the deal were undisclosed but the pro-rated share of the $1.3 million veteran’s minimum would be worth just over $1 million.

Reading his retirement statement, it was clearly apparent that he was not ready to hang it up.

I always thought that when I left the game, it would be because I couldn’t help my team the way that I was accustomed to. However, that is not the case. I still have tremendous love for the game, the desire to play, and a whole lot left in my tank. I feel strongly that I can still compete at the highest level

Now the bigger question is how much is still left in that tank, and how much longer can he compete at the highest level. Leon Rose, Iverson’s agent, will likely advise Allen to play out this year and try to parlay his performance into another contract at the end of the season. While Iverson can still be a dynamic scorer, he will likely have to prove that he can accept a lesser role next year, in order to secure another contract and avoid a situation similar to the one he experienced this year with Memphis.

Allen Iverson: Final Answer from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules