The expansion marks a strategic pivot for the firm, which has carefully avoided the basketball sector until finding a culture-fit alignment. David Mulugheta, the agency's President of Team Sports and a top-ranked NFL agent, noted that while the firm has long considered diversification, the move only felt viable once the right leadership was in place. The new division will prioritize the same service-heavy model that defined their football practice, emphasizing long-term athlete development.
Athletes First Expands Into NBA Representation
After two decades of dominating the NFL landscape, sports agency Athletes First is launching a dedicated basketball division. By hiring industry veterans John Noonan and Brandon James, the firm aims to replicate its football success—which includes representing stars like Dak Prescott—within the global market of the NBA.
A significant driver for this transition is the evolution of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) regulations. Mulugheta argues that NIL has fundamentally lowered the barriers to entry, allowing agencies to build relationships with prospects as young as 15 or 16. By engaging athletes earlier, the agency intends to instill professional habits, financial literacy, and career planning long before a player reaches the professional draft. While the NFL remains a powerhouse domestic business, Mulugheta views the NBA as a distinct, global opportunity that allows the firm to apply its existing operational infrastructure to a new sport without altering its core philosophy.
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