With excerpts from YU News
On March 7, students in both the Sports Management club and course had the opportunity to hear from NBA agent Leon Rose. Rose was brought in to speak by Yeshiva University’s Sports Management Club.
Rose, attorney and sports agent, represents many National Basketball Association stars including Carmelo Anthony and Chris Paul, and formerly Lebron James. During the informal discussion, which took place in Furst Hall, Rose recalled his journey from aspiring basketball coach to legal professional and, eventually, adviser to some of the biggest names in the game.
“The reason I got into this is the same reason I wanted to be a basketball coach-I wanted to help people in a different way,” he said. “In my field, you may not be a coach on the court, but hopefully you’re a coach regarding life and business.”
At YU, Rose gave students an inside perspective on the day-to-day life of an agent representing major clients, hitting on everything from negotiating salaries and contracts to player endorsement deals and relationship building. He also discussed some of the more challenging aspects of his career, talking about his experience as an agent during the 2011 NBA lockout, the impact of collective bargaining and James’ free agency. “Your job as an agent is to explain the pros and cons and make sure your clients have all the information necessary to make the best possible decision for themselves,” he said. “You give them your advice and your thoughts, but ultimately they make the decision, and when you walk out of that room, you and your client are one. You support that decision.”
Max Stern (MTA ’09), vice president of the Sy Syms School of Business-affiliated Sports Management Club, was impressed by Rose’s openness and accessibility. “For someone of his status, he’s a humble person who offers a good lesson for college students,” he said. “His message is, ‘Work hard. The luck comes afterward.'”
To read the entire YU News article, please click here.
