Players given tips in dealing with agents in educational session
HERAKLION (Greece) - Dealing with agents was the topic of the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup 2019 Players’ Workshop with the stars of tomorrow learning valuable lessons about having someone work for them.
Players from the 16 teams were addressed for an hour by Javier Deshayes, FIBA’s NF & Sport Manager, and Georgios Kalaitzis, a member of the Greece team which won the U19 World Cup crown in 1995 and an eight-time Greek league champion.
Deshayes and Kalaitzis gave advice in terms of interacting with agents. The players were told some of the reasons they should or shouldn’t get an agent and how to know if they need an agent as well as some of the main things an agent should do for them.
Deshayes and Kalaitzis discussed the differences between large and small agencies and some of the pros and cons of both. They also recommended certain things that should be included or kept out of the contract the player finally signs, stressing the importance of including stipulations regarding the Basketball Arbitral Tribunal (BAT) in the document.
“I THINK THE BIGGEST LESSON I LEARNED IS THAT WE HAVE TO FIND THE MOST HONEST PERSON WE CAN TO REPRESENT US. ALSO, AS PLAYERS, WE NEED TO KNOW EXACTLY WHAT WE WANT AND WE HAVE TO TAKE TIME TO MAKE DECISIONS.”
"We, FIBA, are here to protect you," said Deshayes, who is in charge of players development and players education for basketball's ruling body.
Kalaitzis also urged the players to take ample time in making their decisions in general, and extra thought and additional consul in terms of contracts in particular.
The players were also advised to try to find the most honest person possible to represent them while also not giving one individual too much influence, suggesting keeping separate lawyer and financial advisor.
"I think the biggest lesson I learned is that we have to find the most honest person we can to represent us. Also, as players, we need to know exactly what we want and we have to take time to make decisions," Greece guard Nikos Rogkavopoulos said. "It's very good (for FIBA to teach this) because players at this age are starting to get approached - even before this age."
Philippines guard Dalph Panopio said he learned a lot of things from the workshop.
“IT'S OUR CAREER AND WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR OURSELVES AND WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT THE PERSON WHO CONTACTS YOU - BE AWARE OF THEM, KNOW THEIR BACKGROUND, WHERE THEY ARE FROM, WHAT THEY WANT TO DO WITH YOU.”
"There are a lot of players who don’t have agents and don't know how to deal with things during their career," Panopio said. "It is a big lesson for us and a good opportunity to learn about things off the basketball court."
Argentina's Francisco Farabello said he learned to be careful about choosing an agent.
"It's our career and we are responsible for ourselves and we have to be careful about the person who contacts you - be aware of them, know their background, where they are from, what they want to do with you," he said.
Farabello's compatriot Francisco Caffaro was appreciative of FIBA's efforts to give them the lessons.
"I think it's very important. A lot of players sign contracts when they are young. It’s very important that they give us some knowledge about what to do and how to respond to agents," Caffaro said.
The education session was created four years ago by the FIBA Players Commission. Previous sessions can be found in the Players’ Hub.
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