Players are not always aware of the options they have when it comes to finding a professional basketball contract. Players that want to play professionally need to be knowledgeable about all the options available to them. The best first step is to rank the routes available and focus on the options that make the most sense for your situation. The options available are signing with an agent, signing directly with a team, going overseas to get your masters degree while playing for a school, and finally going to exposure camps, the first 3 of which Agent-Link provides to users.
Signing with an Agent - One of the most popular options for players looking to play professionally is to sign with an agent. Signing with an agent has a lot of benefits, but the most important one is having someone with contacts and knowledge about pro basketball marketing you to teams. When looking to take this route, Agent-Link has 60+ agents to connect with and directly message so you can find representation that aligns with your needs. To learn more about this route, check out the Agent-Link Resource Library article called “Choosing an Agent”.
Signing Directly with a Team - If you choose to go this route, you need to be prepared to do research and spend a lot of time messaging and emailing basketball coaches/general managers. A good approach to this route is to focus on a few smaller leagues to begin your basketball career in before looking to move up to better leagues. Choosing to self represent yourself means that you won’t benefit from accessing an agent's contact and relationships. However, Agent-Link already has over 100+ teams available for players to directly message if they are interested in self-representing. One advantage of this route is that a player will not have to pay a 10% commission to their agent. If you are interested in going this route check out a more in depth article and a short video called “Choosing a Team” in the Agent-Link resource library.
Overseas Masters Programs - Another option that often leads to playing pro is choosing to get your masters degree overseas. Some universities in the U.K. and Europe have heavily discounted scholarships that allow players to continue playing while earning their masters degree. This route will place you geographically closer to pro opportunities and can serve as a stepping stone to a future contract. The Agent-Link Platform has several like this to help interested players.
Exposure Camps - The last option is to go to a basketball showcase. Exposure camps can be effective but often have a lower success rate than the other options and also include an often high price tag. Because of this, it is important to do your research before attending an exposure event. To learn more about exposure camps check out the “Exposure Camps” article in the Agent-Link Resource Library.
As stated at the beginning of this article, a best practice is to rank each of these options and focus on the ones that make the most sense for your situation.