For as long as I can remember, I wanted to be an NBA agent. I came to Syracuse University with the goal of attending law school, recruiting athletes, and becoming the next David Falk. But with the benefit of experience, I chose a path that was a better fit.
At SU, I was active in the Sport Management Club, hosted a sports talk radio show on WERW, and produced a sports talk podcast. After graduation, I enrolled at Tulane Law School to pursue my Juris Doctor and Sports Law Certificate. During my first semester, I served as a research intern for Fox Sports’ broadcasts of New Orleans Pelicans games. Later that year, I placed first in our class-wide Moot Court Negotiation competition. By my third and final year, I was named Head Coach of our Alternative Dispute Resolution Moot Court team, which placed first at the 2018 INADR World Championships.
During law school, I interned for Siegel Sports & Entertainment, which was a formative experience. I witnessed first-hand what goes into negotiating an NBA contract. I served as an assistant during two contract negotiations for Langston Galloway, totaling over $30 million in salary. In addition, I redlined a groundbreaking sneaker contract between Langston and Q4 Sports.
Before graduating from law school, I co-founded the Tulane Pro Basketball Negotiation Competition, in which graduate students competitively negotiate contracts for free agents.
I started working for the Brooklyn Nets in May 2018. In their Front Office, I study the salary cap and maintain our internal salary sheets with financial details on all 30 NBA teams. In addition, I act as a liaison for our pro scouts, and provide general support to executives in the front office.
My advice to current students and graduates: networking is important, and be sure to understand the best path for you. Seek out experiences that give you insight into different roles – and when you find something you like, go after it.
