Blacks athletes who trust Blacks to guide their career
Super Bowl XXVIII is now in the books and many of the players on both the winning Seahawks team and the deflated Denver squad will be reaching out to their agent hoping the secure another lucrative deal.
Most of those players will be reaching out to some one who is not an African American, but here is a lost of some of the prominent sports agents who have negotiated multi-million dollar contract for some of sports most prominent athletes.
Sports has continued to be provide an opportunistic gate way out of poverty, but when Black athletes, many of whom come from single family homes, are sought after by rich and influential white sports agents it prevents that athlete from positively impacting his community.
Particularly when it comes to different ethnicities coming into Black/African-American communities and households, many ponder why does this to keep happening?
It’s about how it’s been almost a decades since Black agent Eugene Parker negotiated a contract for Larry Fitzgerald to make the Cardinals receiver then the highest-paid rookie in NFL history.
However, there are 96 players (76 of whom are African-American) chosen in the first rounds of the 2009, 2010 and 2011 NFL drafts, only 18 were represented by Black agents. That’s 18.75 percent representation. Barely above the 15.62 percent representation of Black head coaches in the League.
Last year Roc Nation Sports was founded by Shawn ‘Jay Z’ Carter and co-partner , a well regarded talent agency based in Los Angeles The company is billed as a “full-service sports management company”. Roc Nation Sports’ first major move was to sign Yankees All Star second baseman Robinson Cano.
Jay Z also lured New York Giants star receiver Victor Cruz, Jets quarterback Geno Smith and Yankees star pitcher CC Sabathia into fold.
LeBron James, the best basketball player in the world, left what is considered basketball’s most powerful stable, Creative Artists Agency, months after pulling off an MVP-NBA Champion-Gold Medal sweep to instead be represented by his close friend, Rich Paul. Paul himself will be leaving CAA, where he has had a number of clients including Tristan Thompson and Eric Bledsoe.
William “Worldwide Wes” Wesley, is considered to be among the most powerful men in basketball.
Worldwide Wes has two major, concrete nexus points in basketball: he unabashedly delivers blue chip prospects to John Calipari. Wes is actually a licensed NCAA coaches’ agent — he represents Cal and Auburn’s Tony Barbee (a Calipari disciple). In the NBA, the players most closely tied to Wes — Rip Hamilton, Dajuan Wagner, LeBron, Chris Paul, Eddy Curry. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist of the Bobcats is also closely tied to Worldwide Wes, but Kidd-Gilchrist signed with Rich Paul, LeBron’s new agent.
As we celebrate Black History Month, the Sentinel wants to recognize those Blacks who are representing Black athletes.
SHARON CREER
Background: One of a handful of black female sports agents, Creer launched SCA Sports Management in 1998 and sits on the board of directors for the Black Sports Agents Association.
Clientele: WNBA World Champion’s Houston Comet Tiffani Johnson and San Antonio Star Toccara Williams.
HENRY THOMAS
Background: Thomas joined Creative Artists Agency (CAA) sports in 2009 and has secured over $100 million in contracts and eight-figure shoe deals and other marketing campaigns.
Clientele: 2006 NBA Finals MVP Dwayne Wade and five-time All-Star power forward Chris Bosh.
FLETCHER N. SMITH
Background: Fletcher N. Smith III founded and currently owns Blueprint Management Group, LLC, a sports management, marketing and consulting group.
Clientele: In 2002, he renegotiated McNabb’s Eagles contract, which became the largest contract in NFL history, including a record $20.5 million signing bonus.
Larry Reynolds
Background: The former tri-athlete and Stanford University graduate is the founder and president of Reynolds Sports Management, which represents baseball players.
Clientele: All-Stars Torii Hunter and Justin Upton. He also manages Justin’s talented brother BJ Upton.
BILL DUFFY
Background: Duffy has been in the sports management business since 1984, after a two-year playing career with the Denver Nuggets and is one of the most successful agents in the world.
Clientele: All-Star point guard Rajon Rondo, two-time MVP Steve Nash, and Yao Ming, who retired in 2011.
ERIC GOODWIN
Background: Along with his brother Aaron, Eric runs Goodwin Sports Management while specializing in endorsement and marketing opportunities for clients involving Nike, McDonald’s and Microsoft.
Clientele: Matt Barnes of the LA Lakers and NBA announcer Chris Webber.
AARON GOODWIN
Background: The CEO of Goodwin Sports Management (GSM), Goodwin sits on the advisory board for the National Basketball Players Association and is at the top of the sports management game.
Clientele: Formerly represented Kevin Durant and Dwight Howard. Currently represents Toronto Raptors shooting guard DeMar DeRozan and Golden State point guard Nate Robinson.
KIMBERLY HOLLAND
Background: The Atlanta native has transitioned from attorney to sports agent and now represents an array Olympic athletes.
Clientele: Angelo Taylor, who won two gold medals for track in the 2000. Terrence Trammell, who won the silver medal in the 2000 and 2004 Summer Olympics.
C. LAMONT SMITH
Background: The double HBCU graduate (B.A. from Clark College, J.D. from Howard University) is an experienced agent who currently oversees All Pro Sports & Entertainment.
Clientele: Negotiated Eddie George to a six-year, $42 million contract that made him the highest-paid running back in the NFL. Currently represents running backs Pierre Thomas (Saints) and Ben Tate (Texans).
BILL STRICKLAND
Background: Works for Blackwave Media Group, a management company in entertainment, sports, marketing and online media.
Clientele: Rasheed Wallace, Daunte Culpepper, and All-Star center Joakim Noah.
