'show Me The Money!': How This Sports Agent Helps A-listers Like Venus Williams And Kevin Durant Turn Their Platforms Into Multi-million Dollar Brand Deals

The narration betwixt a talent supplier and their customer tin often beryllium summed up by a building made celebrated by nan profession's astir iconic fictional figure, Jerry Maguire, to nan apical imaginary wide receiver of each time, Rod Tidwell — and it's not nan 1 you mightiness expect: "Help maine thief you."

"Help maine thief you": The domiciled of a modern-day Jerry Maguire

At its core, a talent agent's domiciled is to line — but ultimately, it is nan jock who makes nan past decision.

As Cecil White, a apical supplier astatine William Morris Endeavor, puts it: "We show each our clients that you're nan CEO of your ain business. We proviso nan opportunities, but you're nan 1 who makes nan call."

Before joining WME Sports, White launched his occupation arsenic an Investment Banker astatine Barclays (NYSE: BCS), specializing successful personification portion and healthcare. Today, he brings that aforesaid strategical mindset to sports and entertainment, representing apical talent, from NBA and NFL players to actors. His activity spans marque endorsements, equity partnerships and sponsorships, helping immoderate of nan world's fastest-growing companies nexus pinch their clients' evolving business ventures.

White's domiciled is arsenic move arsenic his customer roster. Some high-profile clients for illustration Venus Williams prioritize equity, while others for illustration Kawhi Leonard attraction connected trading and endorsements. With younger athletes for illustration 18-year-old Rutgers prima Dylan Harper, who secured Red Bull's first-ever woody pinch a assemblage hoops player, White's engagement extends to everything from negotiating deals pinch schools to helping them find a rental car.

"They recreation to america for everything," White says, adding that mentoring younger athletes is peculiarly gratifying. "It's fulfilling to watch my clients bargain their first homes and study astir investing and nan banal market."

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"Show maine nan money" — But only if it's worthy it

White too believes successful discerning nan correct opportunities. "Not each money is bully money," he says. "Brands net for a service, but that clip could beryllium better-spent training, connected nan court, aliases pinch family." He advises younger clients to retrieve that their endorsements are a byproduct of their diversion success.

Regarding marque value, White stresses that athletes must dainty their individual marque for illustration a business. "Athletes aren't conscionable individuals anymore; they're enterprises," he explains. Just arsenic companies cautiously premier their partners, athletes must align their marque pinch nan values they judge in. White encourages clients to ask, "Does this marque align pinch my values?" If nan reply is no, he advises them to locomotion away.

A premier illustration of these principles is nan Invesco QQQ HBCU Basketball Classic, co-founded by White and characteristic Michael B. Jordan. After nan tragic execution of George Floyd, Jordan sought to create affirmative alteration by bringing nationalist TV vulnerability and accrued sponsorship to HBCUs. White helped move that imagination into reality, pitching nan arena to Turner, securing a TV woody and bringing Invesco connected arsenic nan title sponsor.

The event, now entering its 4th year, highlights nan powerfulness of value-driven initiatives and business-savvy co-marketing.

"You had maine astatine hello" — Building relationships that last

While high-profile clients for illustration Michael B. Jordan are rare, White ensures moreover lesser-known clients personification nan aforesaid dedication. Take Grady Dick, a standout for nan Toronto Raptors. White began moving pinch Dick astatine 17 erstwhile he was comparatively chartless extracurricular of basketball.

However, White quickly saw imaginable beyond nan court, recognizing Dick's charisma and societal media influence. That foresight paid disconnected astatine nan 2024 NBA Draft, wherever White helped Dick make a scatter successful a ruby-red sequined suit that went viral. "It wasn't needfully our first premier for his outfit," White laughs. "But he pushed nan envelope."

"Cecil has fixed maine unthinkable connection that has helped elevate me," Dick says. "We built a crippled strategy from clip 1 erstwhile I was still a teenager. In immoderate ways, it's crazy to spot really acold my marque has recreation since then, but successful different ways, it's not because we worked to beryllium here."

For White, nan eventual extremity is to build lasting relationships pinch clients. "I personification clients for illustration Kiyan Anthony and Dylan Harper, who are 17/18 years old. My extremity is to beryllium information of their recreation until they're 57," he says. This semipermanent imagination requires staying up of nan curve.

As trends for illustration AI and sustainability rise, White remains committed to self-education. "I personification to speak nan relationship erstwhile clients want to get progressive successful these areas," he says. "Reaching retired to experts and being funny is overmuch important than ever."

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"You complete me... arsenic a business" — Filling successful nan gaps and helping wherever needed

That doesn't mean White limits himself to rising stars. Some of his astir fulfilling activity has been pinch seasoned veterans for illustration 45-year-old Tracy McGrady.

"T-Mac is unsocial because he's 1 of nan less retired NBA players who tin still spell to China and make nan aforesaid level of fanfare arsenic a young superstar," White says.

Recognizing McGrady's world appeal, White leveraged WME Sport's extended web successful China to thief him build a seven-figure business portfolio overseas. More recently, he guided McGrady successful becoming a number investor successful nan Super Bowl-contending Buffalo Bills.

"He's sewage his Ones Basketball League, which we're helping develop, a accumulation institution we're building out, backstage equity deals we're presenting, and he's still progressive successful broadcasting and accepted endorsements," White says. "He's a fantastic, well-rounded customer for WME."

The emotion is mutual. Reflecting connected their partnership, McGrady shares, "The astir important facet for maine is knowing my imagination tin beryllium brought to life. Cecil does a awesome business of knowing that and helping maine execute my goals."

At conscionable 31, White has already mastered nan instruction that took Jerry Maguire an afloat movie to learn: authentic, enduring relationships are conscionable arsenic important to semipermanent occurrence arsenic closing big-money deals — and he didn't petition a goldfish-fueled psychotic break to fig it out.