In the business side of basketball, having experience is key. If we think about those who excel in this area, from Adrian Wojnarowski to the most powerful agents in the NBA, all of them have been in this business for so many years and gained substantial experience in order to be where they are now. However, some talented, rising men like Ariel Levy are trying to rise up the rankings and make a name for themselves in this business at a very young age, using their hunger and passion in order to make up for the lack of experience.
Levy, at the age of 17 – yes, 17 – is hustling his way into the agency side of the business.
“I first started off doing marketing for NBA players, building their brands and securing them endorsements three years ago when I was 14, which helped me build my contacts with players, companies, and teams as well,” Ariel Levy told Def Pen Hoops when asked how he got into this business. “After about a year of doing marketing, I decided to grow into the agency section of the business as well at 15.”
Partnering with 24-year-old NBA certified agent Jake Wachsman, Levy founded ASL Sports Group, the youngest certified agency in the NBA. The agency’s client list includes former NBA player Jamario Moon, free-agent rookies Jovan Mooring from UNLV, Geno Littles from Northern Arizona and Jaron Hopkins from Fresno State, and several G League players. ASL Sports Group also represents NBA veteran forward Michael Beasley on the marketing side.
“At ASL we provide a lot,” Levy said. “First off, most importantly, providing contract negotiations for our players as well as training in the offseason and also building their brand and making them known throughout the game of basketball. We make them websites with their own merchandise and basketball camps which helps them be recognized as pro ballers. Also, [we provide] some endorsements on the side which of course help out.”
Levy’s young age might be seen as a weakness when compared to the experienced and already well-respected agents. But not to Levy, who believes that being young is actually one of the most important strengths that make his agency set itself apart from the competition. Young, passionate, talented, and motivated to do what is best for their clients. This is what ASL Sports Group is all about.
“I feel my age only helps when recruiting a player,” Ariel Levy said. “It’s hard to find an agent as young as us that is willing to do whatever we need to do to get the job done. When at the meeting with the player they see our youth and how hard we are willing to work for them. They also see the clientele list and contacts we have already built. A lot of the time a player wants the young agent rather than the fifty or sixty-year-old agent that will make his same few calls to a few teams and not work the phone with every single team unlike us.”
Of course, one of the most important things to do in order to be successful in this business is building a “Rolodex” of contacts with people who work inside the game. The fact that Levy has started making himself known at this young age can only be a big plus for him and the agency.
“Building contacts can be the most difficult part of the business,” Levy said. “Since starting off in marketing for many NBA players, securing them endorsements and building their brand helped me be seen as someone to be taken seriously. I find it as an advantage for myself to talk to NBA coaches and general managers because it helps me become known throughout the NBA at such a young age. A lot of teams like to keep in close contact with me because they see the quality of the agency I have already built up and see what the future holds for my agency. Overall, this process has become a lot easier for me since I’ve got pretty much all the contacts set and stone. Now it’s just about building a strong relationship with the contacts which has been my focus.”
“It’s hard to find an agent as young as us that is willing to do whatever we need to do to get the job done.”
When it comes to recruiting players out of college, a lot of NBA prospects and projected draft picks choose to sign with big agencies such as BDA Sports, Excel Sports Management, CAA, or Wasserman, which makes the competition an uphill battle for rising agencies like Levy’s ASL Sports Group. At the same time, this is what makes them even more motivated to embrace the challenge and show what they can bring on the table.
“It can get very difficult at times dealing with the big agencies that have been in the business for twenty-plus years but that’s what makes us even hungrier to get it done,” Ariel Levy said. “When at a meeting with a player or a team personnel they will tell me a lot of things other agents or players have said or offered which is what preparation is for making sure you can have the sharper answer on the spot that will get the job done.”
With the relationships that 17-year-old Ariel Levy and the 24-year-old Jake Wachsman have already built at this young age, in addition to their passion, dedication, and hustle, ASL Sports Group seems to have the necessary skill set to rise and make a name for themselves. One thing is for sure: this is an agency to keep an eye on in this business.
“I see my agency becoming one of the most dominant agencies in the NBA,” Levy said when asked about what the future holds for ASL Sports Group. “I see us secure max contracts for many NBA players in the very near future. I know I can get to that point very soon because my agency is already very well respected throughout the NBA and overseas and I’m only 17.” Levy and ASL Sports Group are ready to take basketball by storm.
