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How can I have a long, successful career as a professional basketball player overseas?
We believe it’s not enough to be a professional basketball player. Players should thrive as professionals, and be in a position to achieve their goals. That being said, there is no right or wrong answer to this question. The definition of success is different for every player. Our objective is to help you define what success means to you, and craft a long-term plan that helps you get there. Failure to plan is planning to fail.
This section will go over frequently asked questions by players looking to start their career, as well as current professionals looking for guidance.
If you are wondering how you can be successful as a professional basketball player, check out our website and FAQ for insight. Don’t hesitate to contact us for more information.
The choice to use an agency is a personal one. Many players forego the services of an agency and handle business themselves. However, given the uncertainty, instability, and risks of professional basketball overseas, we believe players should make use of an agency. We contact teams and negotiate contracts on your behalf, saving you the time and energy it would take to do this yourself. We also work to ensure things go as smoothly as possible while you are playing for the team, which is just as important as signing. You save time, energy, and gain peace of mind so you can focus on what you do best.
At the bare minimum, you need to have stats, recent game film (at least six months or less), and highlights. Stats should come from a credible source. We recommend creating a player profile which shows your basketball career history, stats each season, recent game film, highlights, and references. This is something we assist players with.
One of the most common misconceptions players have about playing overseas is that you will make a lot of money right away and the lifestyle will be easy. This is usually not the case. Unless you are a high level basketball player (think NBA, EuroLeague, G-League etc) you will likely start in a middle or lower level league and have to work your way up. Playing basketball overseas requires flexibility, adaptability, tolerance, and professionalism.
The overseas basketball market is a buyer’s market. Teams have an enormous pool of available players to choose from. The best way to separate yourself from other players is to identify areas where you can improve your marketability. This could mean improving your stats, getting a second passport, providing high quality highlights and game film, traveling to summer leagues to play in front of decision makers, or traveling to teams directly for a tryout or private workout.
We look for players that are marketable. Players that are marketable are talented, have great stats (from a credible source), have high quality highlights and recent game film, and come with solid references. It is also important to us that players are great people off the court, with a high level of character and integrity.
Our philosophy is clear. It is not enough to simply be a professional basketball player. Quality is very important to us. We take a long-term approach to everything we do to ensure that you have a quality career. The type of career that allows you to enjoy the fruits of the sport.
It is important that players select representation that is credible and trustworthy. Teams are only allowed to work with licensed FIBA agents, local certified agents, or legal representatives to negotiate the terms of the player’s services. We are officially licensed by FIBA to represent and negotiate contracts on your behalf.
No, there is no charge for working with us. We receive our payment directly from the team.
We place our clients mainly in Europe, but also in Australia, North America, and South America.
Placement refers to the placing of a player on a professional basketball team. Representation refers to acting on the player’s behalf in all business related to professional basketball. It includes placement, negotiation of contracts on and off the court, advice and counsel, and long-term career planning. Placement is a short-term transactional service. Representation is a long-term partnership.
Teams look for players that fill a need. The most talented player isn’t always the player that gets signed. Teams look for players with great stats, good level of basketball experience (either professional or high level college), high quality recent game film, and solid references. They also look for players with a high level of character, good personality, and professionalism.
Congratulations! You signed a professional contract. Now the real work begins. Your flight and arrival date will be arranged, along with your accommodation, player license, health insurance and any physical/medical exams. We make sure everything is in order to ensure you have a smooth transition to your new team.
The Champions Agency is a platform designed to serve the needs of basketball players and professional basketball clubs. With a successful track record of working with clubs and players at all levels, The Champions Agency ensures each client has a plan in place to achieve a long, rewarding professional career, while providing clubs with the very best players on the market to build a championship calibre team. Your game speaks for itself on the court. Let’s work together to ensure your game speaks off the court as well.
