If I recall correctly, Cal isn't the only coach that Wes pushes players do. He's obviously the marque one, but not the only one. At least that's what I thought. :idunno:

 

Nike schools in particular (see Oregon). I'm convinced Wes gets money from Nike, in some form or fashion. He has helped a lot of programs & coaches, but as you said, his buddy Cal tends to get the upper-echelon talent.

My point is he doesn't get that access without those granting it getting something in return.

 

I did this favor for you today on the wedding of my daughter. Some day I will call upon you to do me a favor.

My point is he doesn't get that access without those granting it getting something in return.

 

Actually, from everything I've read (and I think this is in the ESPN article), what the players like about Wes is that he DOESN'T ask anything from them in return, which is why he earns their trust. I have no doubt he gets it somehow, but not directly from the athletes (likely from Nike/Reebok & also likely a percentage of the agent's 6-8%). This is documented in pretty much any extensive article that has been written about him.

People can say what they want about Wes, but when you have him sitting next to Drake, and behind Ashley at our basketball games......

 

Then that is awesome.

Actually, from everything I've read (and I think this is in the ESPN article), what the players like about Wes is that he DOESN'T ask anything from them in return, which is why he earns their trust. I have no doubt he gets it somehow, but not directly from the athletes (likely from Nike/Reebok & also likely a percentage of the agent's 6-8%). This is documented in pretty much any extensive article that has been written about him.

 

You're looking at it backwards from the way I was approaching it, but I don't buy your scenario either. Again, it all seems a little too perfect.

I did this favor for you today on the wedding of my daughter. Some day I will call upon you to do me a favor.

 

:notworthy:

You're looking at it backwards from the way I was approaching it, but I don't buy your scenario either. Again, it all seems a little too perfect.

 

ESPN The Magazine has a running column from an unnamed NBA star. Player X, they call him. In the latest version of the column, this player tells stories about William Wesley (Insider). This version of events is 100% in line with what all kinds of players will say about Wesley, usually off the record. But the basics are like this:

 

You can't fire Wes. He doesn't work for you. He's like that dude from Pulp Fiction who gets called in to clean up sticky situations. Sometimes it's a young guy who is great on the court but sucks at life. Wes will straighten his a** out. He'll say, "You're coming with me, young fella." Then he'll lay it out on the table like, "Dude, you're screwin' up." He'll look at his entourage and say, "This person stays, but these clowns gotta go." Sometimes it's a coach who calls him for help, or a teammate or an agent. But he gets through to guys because he never asks for anything. And it doesn't hurt that he remembers the name of everyone he's ever met. ...

 

Because he has the ear of every player, coach, GM and sneaker company, a lot of people around basketball like to hate on Wes. Agents worry that he's going to steal their clients and steer them to one of his favorite agents. They think he's a glorified runner, a dude who agents send around to befriend players, get them into clubs and eventually get them to sign a contract. It's a shady business. But Wes is not one of those guys. Wes isn't running for anyone. I'm sure he's got his ways to make money, but he's interested only in setting up deals and making sure the people around you are looking out for you. When I got to the NBA he asked me if my agent was taking care of me. I told him about my contract, and Wes said it was cool, that my agent did a good job. He just wanted to know that I was taken care of.

 

http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/post/_/id/14800/anonymous-nba-star-on-william-wesley

The notion that Wes does what he does out of pure benevolence is fantasyland-type stuff. How's the guy pay his bills? Sure looks like he wears some pretty expensive threads. He's got to get money from somewhere. He's not Jesus, living off the generosity of others. He may do things out of the kindness of his heart, but he's still getting something out of the deal, from somewhere, and who/whatever funds him gets something in return. That's just how it works.

The notion that Wes does what he does out of pure benevolence is fantasyland-type stuff. How's the guy pay his bills? Sure looks like he wears some pretty expensive threads. He's got to get money from somewhere. He's not Jesus, living off the generosity of others. He may do things out of the kindness of his heart, but he's still getting something out of the deal, from somewhere, and who/whatever funds him gets something in return. That's just how it works.

 

I would assume he gets some from NIKE. He pushes players to schools with NIKE contracts, those guys make it big, he pushes them toward's certain agents, who he gets paid from as a finder's fee almost. That's my opinion at least.

The notion that Wes does what he does out of pure benevolence is fantasyland-type stuff. How's the guy pay his bills? Sure looks like he wears some pretty expensive threads. He's got to get money from somewhere. He's not Jesus, living off the generosity of others. He may do things out of the kindness of his heart, but he's still getting something out of the deal, from somewhere, and who/whatever funds him gets something in return. That's just how it works.

 

I never said the guy isn't getting paid, or that he's the NBA's version of Mother Theresa. I'm just telling you what has been repeated over and over again in articles where the writers have done extensive research on Wes (namely the GQ article & Henry Abbott's work on ESPN).

 

Abbott's research led him to conclude that Wes gets 50% of an agent's percentage. So if he steers John Wall to the agent of his choosing, and Wall signs a $30 million deal, the agent gets 6% of that ($1.8 million) & Wes gets half of the $1.8 million. In some instances, if the player gets endorsement deals, Abbott says that Wes gets 100% of the endorsement percentage.

 

Abbott also says that Wes is in cahoots with both Nike & Reebok, and is getting money from those companies as well.

 

Players who go on the record have repeated the same thing: Wes doesn't ask us for anything. LeBron James even said that the reason he was so eager to bring Wes into his circle was because he was one of few people that didn't have a hand out.

 

Wes' business savvy is to gain the trust of players. He obviously has benefited from that.

I would assume he gets some from NIKE. He pushes players to schools with NIKE contracts, those guys make it big, he pushes them toward's certain agents, who he gets paid from as a finder's fee almost. That's my opinion at least.

 

He gets paid when the player gets paid (when they go pro, etc.).

I would assume he gets some from NIKE. He pushes players to schools with NIKE contracts, those guys make it big, he pushes them toward's certain agents, who he gets paid from as a finder's fee almost. That's my opinion at least.

 

And wouldn't it be fair to say it's extremely naive to assume all that only begins once the player declares for the pros?

I never said the guy isn't getting paid, or that he's the NBA's version of Mother Theresa. I'm just telling you what has been repeated over and over again in articles where the writers have done extensive research on Wes (namely the GQ article & Henry Abbott's work on ESPN).

 

Abbott's research led him to conclude that Wes gets 50% of an agent's percentage. So if he steers John Wall to the agent of his choosing, and Wall signs a $30 million deal, the agent gets 6% of that ($1.8 million) & Wes gets half of the $1.8 million. In some instances, if the player gets endorsement deals, Abbott says that Wes gets 100% of the endorsement percentage.

 

Abbott also says that Wes is in cahoots with both Nike & Reebok, and is getting money from those companies as well.

 

Players who go on the record have repeated the same thing: Wes doesn't ask us for anything. LeBron James even said that the reason he was so eager to bring Wes into his circle was because he was one of few people that didn't have a hand out.

 

Wes' business savvy is to gain the trust of players. He obviously has benefited from that.

 

This is irrelevant. Wes gets what he wants from his benefactors. What I'm more concerned with is what the players and their associates ask for, and what Wes does to accommodate that.

And wouldn't it be fair to say it's extremely naive to assume all that only begins once the player declares for the pros?

 

Not really. That's like saying isn't it naive to assume that all stud college players are merely given room and board when they choose a school to play for...

This is irrelevant. Wes gets what he wants from his benefactors. What I'm more concerned with is what the players and their associates ask for, and what Wes does to accommodate that.

 

Why do the players have to ask for anything? Maybe the see how Wes has taken care of his other "guys" once they get to the pros and they want him to do the same for them.