Who is there to help advance my career?
Key Learnings
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Take the decision to work with an agent very seriously because you are deciding to let someone act on your behalf.
Ensure your agent has (a) certification from FIBA to work within International Basketball as an agent; (b) a solid understanding of Basketball and the professional market; and (c) a reputation for honesty, reliability and professionalism.
Consider using different representatives (agent, financial advisor, and lawyer) for different parts of your personal and professional affairs.
Don’t sign any documents that you have not read or do not understand.
Remember that the reputation you build at the early stages of your career will impact how marketable you are when you are playing at higher levels.
Build good relationships with your sponsors to increase the chances of renewing your contract.
Educate yourself on basic technical financial language so you can adequately evaluate your options when meeting with potential advisors.

What can an agent do for me?

A sports agent represents an athlete and helps identify, pursue and negotiate jobs and endorsement deals. As your career grows, you may experience greater demands on your time. More competitions, media appearances, speaking engagements and travel requirements can leave you with less time to develop and maintain your skills on-the-court.

An agent can help you manage your time, allowing you more time to focus on playing the game and your performance, by:

  • Understanding your value in the Basketball market and negotiating with team management to pay you what you are worth
  • Understanding your needs and goals to negotiate the length of your contract, salary and extra incentives that may be available to you
  • Identifying, pursuing and securing additional sources of income through endorsements, appearances, speaking events, etc.

Some agents can also provide legal and/or financial counseling, but there are some important things to consider before giving too much influence to one person (see further below ‘How to choose an agent’).