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.

Building good relationships with sponsors

The real work begins after you sign an agreement. In the business of athlete sponsorship, it is always easier to renew an existing contract than to sign a new one. Therefore, it is critical to nurture your existing relationships to promote the chances of a longer-term deal. There will be challenges along the way, but in the process, you can build trust and strengthen the partnership. Take the agreement seriously and commit to do everything you promised.

Hints to keep in mind when building your relationship with your sponsors:

  • Create a professional partnership
    For the relationship between you and your sponsor to be successful, each party must genuinely care about the other. Do not forget to always act professionally with your sponsors. Do what was agreed; but try to go even beyond what was expected.
     
  • Make sure you and your sponsor share the same vision
    From the beginning of the relationship, sit down with your sponsor and discuss the goals of the relationship from their perspective and yours. Both sides must be realistic and manage the expectations of the other to prevent anyone from being let down or disappointed in the relationship. It can also be helpful to identify the limitations of the relationship.
     
  • Regularly evaluate the relationship
    Once you have a shared vision in place, you will want to evaluate how the sponsorship is progressing. Set up a mutually-agreeable framework for evaluation – semi-annual or annual reviews, regular conference calls, etc. Ask for feedback from your sponsor about how they see your progress in terms of fulfilling the sponsorship agreement. At the same time, you can provide feedback from your experience, and together you can refine the relationship to make sure both parties are satisfied with its progress.
     
  • Find opportunities to add value… always
    As long as you are seen by the sponsor as adding value to their products, services and brand image, you have a very strong chance of renewing an agreement and possibly broadening its scope. But, just like personal relationships, the other party must believe that you care and that you bring added value. You can find ways to surprise your sponsors and show them that you are aware of their needs and listening to their goals. For example, learn more about their products, complete a public speaking course or find other ways to bring more than just your name or athletic prowess to the relationship.

Sponsorships should never be the sole focus of your career, but they can be a motivating factor to improving your on-court performance. Working together with your sponsors:

  • You can achieve greater exposure, develop new skills, and earn more income
  • Your sponsors can reach new markets, sell more products, and support the game of basketball

It truly can be a “win-win” situation for everyone.