| Basketball Agent Key Stats | |
|---|---|
| Education | 4+ Years |
| Job Outlook | 10% |
If you’re passionate about basketball and have great communication and sales skills then you might like to become a basketball agent. Working as a basketball agent, you will be representing the interests of professional basketball players, completing a wide range of duties that will help them to be successful at their chosen sport.
When you become a basketball agent, you’ll have a wide range of duties to take care of.
Firstly, you’ll need to attract good players to your services, and constantly be on the lookout for up and coming talent.
You’ll also need to make sure you clients get the best deals with the best teams.
Sponsorship is also important, and you’ll need to secure good contracts.
You will also need to look after public relations for your client, and their legal affairs.
Table of Contents
Education Requirements to Become a Basketball Agent
If you would like to become a basketball agent, your first step is to learn a lot about basketball.
Knowing a history of the sport, as well as being up to date on current leagues, coaches, teams and players is important.
You’ll also need to understand how sports management works, as well as team contracts, and sponsorships.
There is no educational requirement to become a basketball agent.
Some people enter this job after gaining sales and marketing experience elsewhere.
Most have a four year college degree in a field such as business, sales, marketing, or public relations.
Others might even have a law degree.
While having a college education will help you gain skills and get a job to begin with, what earns you money is your ability.
Strong negotiation and communication skills are what will help you to make it as a basketball agent.
You will need to be registered and pay an annual fee to work as a basketball agent.
This applies in all states.
Basketball Agent Job Description
The role of a basketball agent is to represent a professional athlete and best look after their interests.
They do this in many ways.
A basketball agent will negotiate a contact with a deal for a player, and also a sponsorship deal.
They will make sure they have access to the best training opportunities.
Looking after the legal affairs of their clients is also part of their role, as is scouting for promotional opportunities and other public relations based tasks.
A good basketball agent should allow a client to put all of their focus on their game, rather than other business related matters.
A basketball agent’s responsibilities could include:
- Public relations
- Giving a client legal advice
- Negotiating on behalf of a client with teams or sponsors
- Communicating with coaches, and other professionals
- Organizing training
Basketball Agent Salary and Career Path
When you become a basketball agent, you will probably start your career working in a large agency.
You may begin as an assistant.
With time you will have the opportunity to recruit and manage clients, then move on to looking after high profile clients.
Many basketball agents go on to start their own agency.
Expect it to take a while to become successful as a basketball agent.
You’ll need to win the respect of your colleagues, as well as the athletes of the game, and others like coaches and sponsors.
Building a strong reputation may take time.
The more experience you have, the greater your reputation, and the more clients you will have.
It’s also important to know that most basketball agents work on a commission basis, meaning that they don’t actually earn a salary.
Instead, they earn a percentage of their client’s income.
So, the better you are at your job, the more you can earn.
The median salary for a sports agent is $94,000 a year.
Some similar roles to that of a basketball agent include:
- Baseball Agent
- Sports Agent
- Sports Coach
- Sports Commentator
- Sports Medicine Technician
- Sports Recruiter
To become a basketball agent you’ll need a passion for the game, great salesmanship, and a killer work ethic.
Getting established in the beginning will no doubt be hard work, but if you are willing to put in the hard work, the rewards will come.
A lucrative salary is available, as well as the chance to be a part of the game you love.
The below information is based on the 2023 BLS national averages.
National Average Salary
$44,860Average Salary by State
| State | Avg. Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Alaska | $41,130 |
| Arizona | $47,030 |
| California | $41,230 |
| Colorado | $42,010 |
| Connecticut | $55,420 |
| Delaware | $47,400 |
| Florida | $47,480 |
| Georgia | $37,100 |
| Idaho | - NA - |
| Illinois | $37,300 |
| Indiana | $36,040 |
| Iowa | $38,640 |
| Kansas | $33,180 |
| Kentucky | $53,950 |
| Louisiana | $66,910 |
| Maine | $50,250 |
| Maryland | - NA - |
| Massachusetts | $60,100 |
| Michigan | $37,490 |
| Minnesota | $54,230 |
| Mississippi | $26,410 |
| Missouri | $45,950 |
| Montana | $36,440 |
| Nebraska | $33,530 |
| Nevada | $30,480 |
| New Hampshire | $53,170 |
| New Jersey | $45,170 |
| New York | - NA - |
| North Carolina | $31,480 |
| North Dakota | - NA - |
| Ohio | $29,870 |
| Oklahoma | $28,820 |
| Oregon | $35,380 |
| Pennsylvania | $43,730 |
| South Dakota | $36,620 |
| Tennessee | $29,000 |
| Texas | $35,260 |
| Utah | $28,330 |
| Vermont | $47,180 |
| Virginia | $40,440 |
| Washington | $40,980 |
| West Virginia | $37,800 |
| Wisconsin | $54,610 |
| Puerto Rico | $23,490 |
The top earning state in the field is Louisiana, where the average salary is $66,910.
These are the top 5 highest-paying states in the field:
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a basketball agent do?
A basketball agent is someone who represents the interests of a professional basketball player (handles the business and legal deals, in most cases).
Basketball players that are signing their first contracts while they are still very young cannot understand the legal complexities involved, while experienced athletes need guidance handling the contracts for hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars.
The typical duties of a basketball agent usually include handling sponsorships, public relations, and financial planning; negotiating contracts; collecting data and analyzing statistics; having expert knowledge of basketball; networking, and so on.
In a nutshell, a basketball agent is a professional who is selling his or her clients’ worth to teams in the league.
How much do basketball agents make?
On average, a sports agent can make a little less than $53.000 per year in the United States.
In case you decide to follow this career path, you can expect to earn anywhere between $29.000 and $98.000 annually.
The salary would certainly depend on a variety of factors – your education and experience level, the client, the location and so on.
The commission for pro basketball stars’ agents ranges from $9.500 to $1.120.000 (National Basketball Association).
How much does it cost to become a basketball agent?
Basketball agents can have all sorts of educational backgrounds.
A lot of aspiring basketball agents complete sports management courses (between $192 and $673 per unit).
Some choose to go for a law degree (otherwise, you would have to hire another person to deal with the legal aspects of the job).
A year in a university can cost you anywhere between $8.000 and $45.000 (and more); the cost depends on a variety of factors (the books, supplies, and accommodation expenses are not included).
Most clients would prefer you to have a Master’s degree in Sport Management (around $12.000).
The fee for the NCAA agent certification examination is $1.250.
What is the demand for basketball agents?
Between 2018 and 2028, the agent and business manager of artists, performers, and athletes job markets are expected to grow by 10%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
That is faster than the national average for all occupations in the United States.
The candidates that possess a graduate degree and are certified will have better job perspectives.
Bear in mind that the competition in the field is extremely high.
How long does it take to become a basketball agent?
It will take you 4 years to obtain a bachelor’s degree (preferably, complete a sports management program).
You can also choose to major in communications, business, finance, law, administration, or accounting.
A master’s degree will typically take you 2 years to obtain (experts recommend going for the Master’s in Sports Management, in case you want to increase your chances of getting hired).
To apply for the NCAA agent certification exam, you should have a bachelor’s degree and be NBPA certified for at least 3 years.
Related Careers
Football Agent
A football agent is a representative who handles the interests of a professional football player or players.
Baseball Agent
A baseball agent is someone who represents the interests of a professional baseball player.
Soccer Agent
Sports agents act as business managers for athletes and represent them in contract negotiations and managing their finances.
