LeBron James' basketball camps push the line in regard to recruiting amateurs for sports agency

[Speedyd900rr]

http://www.cleveland.com/cavs/index.ssf/20...ball_camps.html

 

 

 

Q: Hey, Brian: It would seem to me that LeBron James' "under the table" involvement in LRMR would create a definite conflict of interest as a player using a marketing agency clearly run by himself (indirectly) to shape where players like Chris Paul would end up. How is this allowable under David Stern's watch? I'm pretty shocked. -- Jeff Simeone, Cleveland.

 

A: Hey, Jeff: Paul has said he isn't formally represented by LRMR, even though most in the league have heard since last winter that he will be. As Commissioner David Stern said, he can't prevent players from talking to each other. When everyone is a pro, that's simply business.

 

But if you're looking for something that doesn't make sense, it is the extreme double standard LRMR and James enjoy with the college and high school ranks. James is permitted to hold camps with high school and college players who will be pros in less than a year while at the same time he's basically recruiting them to sign with his agency.

 

At the July Nike camp in Akron that has all the top high school players and college stars acting as "counselors," there are signs everywhere that agents aren't allowed in the building. Even college coaches aren't allowed there. But Maverick Carter, the head and chief recruiter for LRMR, is allowed to be there and have unchecked access to these players while James gives them free shoes and gets to know them and their families.

 

Then nine months later his firm is trying to sign some of them to agent contracts. All of this while NCAA officials are literally sitting there in the stands supposedly monitoring that all the rules are followed.

 

LRMR has not been taking advantage of this edge and has not been able to land many of its top targets over the last three years. This year it missed on John Wall after a very hard recruitment led -- it would seem illegally by NCAA standards -- by James. He got to know Wall's family well and contacted him regularly during the season. Which we know because James openly talked about it.

 

Right now, the agent recruiting situation is rife with illegalities and many agents are bending or breaking rules to get players. Most aren't even hiding it. With so many high school stars knowing they are going to be "one and done," the system that has developed is, many line up agents and benefits before they start college.

 

Only once has the NBA done anything about it, and that was when Bill Duffy's agency was hit with penalties for giving O.J. Mayo $30,000 while he was at USC.

 

One of the secrets no one talks about is many of the top freshman-to-be already are on track to sign with various agents next spring. The AAU coaches know it, the college coaches know it and even the NBA teams scouting them know it. So what LRMR is doing is only part of the issue; they just are much more brazen with doing it in the wide open.