NBA's response to new NCAA rules

Rich Paul, Aaron Mintz, Jeff Schwartz, and Mark Bartelstein. Who are they? They are well-known agents in the NBA world representing up to 20 players each respectively, and some of the NBA’s best are their clients. An agent for an NBA player is someone the player personally hires when they want to declare for the NBA draft. They handle your finances, your business and legal deals, and make sure that you as an athlete gets the most money possible. Over the years there have been no requirements to become an NBA agent, as some agents have included family members or long-time friends. However, the NCAA now wants to change those rules. 

 Back in August, the NCAA enacted a set of rules that were centered around the hiring process for agents representing college players who were declaring for the NBA. This story picked up steam when originally, there was one specific rule in the proposal with a requirement that agents needed college degrees, which seemed to directly target LeBron James’ agent and friend, Rich Paul. The NCAA quickly backtracked after plenty of negative reaction to the proposal. Now, the NCAA threatens to rule ineligible any athletes who use a non-NCAA certified agent while exploring professional opportunities. Other rules of agents maintaining professional liability insurance and passing an NCAA-administered qualification exam are going into effect soon. 

Last weekend, the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) wrote in a letter to the NCAA (signed by multiple agency companies) protesting that they don’t want the NCAA controlling how they hire their agents and believe that is a personal duty for themselves to do, and will not comply with these new rules.I guess the question Pittstop has is: which side has a point that is more valid? Does the NBPA have a point that players should hire whoever they want to represent themselves should they declare for the NBA? Or, since they are still in college and are still inside the NCAA system, the NCAA should be allowed to enforce these new rules?

In Pittstop’s opinion, it should be a personal choice as to who should represent the athlete and who is able to protect your private information. You want someone you trust, and it should be whomever that specific athlete believes is the right person, regardless of their academic background. 

(Agent Rich Paul with his clients: Anthony Davis, LeBron James, Ben Simmons, and Miles Bridges)