Landmark Sports Agency, the NBA player representation firm owned by
Rob Pelinka, has signed two projected first-round draft picks for representation, including an expected lottery pick: Australian point guard
Dante Exum.
Landmark also has signed point guard Shabazz Napier, most outstanding player in this year’s NCAA tournament playing for the champion University of Connecticut Huskies. Website DraftExpress.com had Exum ranked No. 4 among draft prospects and Napier No. 28 as of last week.
At Landmark, Exum will be represented by Pelinka and Brandon Rosenthal; Napier will be represented by Pelinka and Joe Branch.
> PUIG GOES COCONUTS: Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Yasiel Puig is endorsing Vita Coco Coconut Water, in a deal negotiated by his new agents at Wasserman Media Group.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Wasserman agents Adam Katz and Andy Mota signed Puig for playing contract work in March, as has been reported, but they signed him for all off-the-field endeavors as well.
Puig was formerly represented by Radegen Sports Management off the field. His other sponsors include Power Balance and Sony PlayStation.
> WGL REPPING MITCHELL: WGL Management is representing former NBA player and coach Sam Mitchell, whose name has surfaced in media reports as a candidate for some NBA head coaching positions this offseason. WGL Management founder and veteran coaches agent Warren LeGarie is representing Mitchell.
 |
|
Undefeated super middleweight and HBO commentator Andre Ward has signed wth WME.
Photo by: SQUINT FOTOS
|
He was formerly represented by CSE.
> WME SIGNS WARD: WME has signed undefeated super middleweight boxer, Olympic gold medalist and HBO commentator Andre Ward in all areas, including endorsements, film, television, books and broadcasting. At WME, Ward will be represented by partner Dave Wirtschafter and commercial agent Rob Koslowsky. He will continue to be represented by his attorney, Damien Granderson. He was previously represented by CAA.
> TANDEM SIGNS CLIENTS: Tandem Sports & Entertainment, founded last year by veteran NBA agent Jim Tanner, has signed several clients for the NBA draft, including two former University of North Carolina Tar Heels: forward James Michael McAdoo and guard Leslie McDonald.
Tandem also has signed Georgetown guard Markel Starks and Florida center Patric Young, and Tandem will be co-representing Greek professional guard/forward Thanasis Antetokounmpo, who played in the NBA D-League last year, with his Greek agent, Nick Lotsos of Sports ProMotion in Athens.
Agents Tanner, Graham Boone and Derrick Powell will represent the players.
Tandem also has signed Bobby Hurley, head coach of the University at Buffalo basketball team, for marketing endeavors, and author and New York Times columnist William C. Rhoden for publicity, marketing, broadcasting, speaking and new business ventures. Tanner will lead the representation for both Hurley and Rhoden. Neither Hurley nor Rhoden was previously represented.
> NFL AGENT SWITCHES: Buffalo Bills offensive lineman Doug Legursky, who plays both center and guard, has signed with Athletes First agent Cameron Hahn. He was formerly represented by Dave Rich, president and CEO of Rich Sports. “Legursky was one of our first guys,” Rich said. “We wish him nothing but the best.”
n Relativity Sports has signed Indianapolis Colts punter Pat McAfee and negotiated his five-year, $14.5 million deal. At Relativity Sports, McAfee is represented by Roosevelt Barnes and Todd Sermersheim, a longtime marketing agent who was certified to represent NFL players in contract talks in 2013. n
Liz Mullen can be reached at lmullen@sportsbusinessjournal.com. Follow her on Twitter @SBJLizMullen.
