Who is here 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 certification from FIBA to work within International basketball as an agent.
Use different representatives (agent, financial advisor, and lawyer) for different parts of your personal and professional affairs.
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.
A Player's mentor looks after the player’s best interests and personal development only.
A Players’ Mentor will help you develop your career and help you planning and identifying transitions.
Family plays a paramount role in the development of a player; however, they do not understand the specificities of the game, and, most of the time, they will not understand what is happening in your head.
Parents are primarily responsible for the overall evolution of the athlete as a person.

Identifying potential sponsors

For players in the biggest leagues and in the most visible markets, sponsors may be approaching them to discuss sponsorship. Athletes in smaller markets or playing in smaller clubs or federations may need to be more proactive in how they approach sponsorship. An agent can and should be very useful in this area.

To get the process started, create a long list of possible sponsors. You and your agent can then work through the list and try to initiate discussions with interested companies. Potential sponsors could include companies who are already actively involved in sponsoring the sport of basketball and that are interested in partnering with individual athletes, but also companies that offer products that you enjoy.

  • Basketball related
    • Equipment (balls, nets, etc.)
    • Apparel (shoes, shorts, headbands, etc.)
    • Training (medical gear, equipment, etc.)
       
  • Products/services you enjoy
    • Clothing (non-basketball)
    • Personal care products (deodorant, etc.)
    • Service businesses (restaurants, banks, airlines, etc.)

There is no “magic trick” to ensure that you match the needs of a potential sponsor. However, the best sponsorship agreements are those in which the sponsor firmly believes in and trusts the athlete and the athlete genuinely supports the product he or she is endorsing.