From Coast to Coast: NBA Agent Navigating the Journey to Success
Words by Luis Herrera
New York, NY. – The distance from California to New York is two thousand four hundred thirteen miles. Maurice Johnson, a 29-year-old from Sacramento, is no stranger to such high mileage. Johnson travels this distance often as a basketball agent.
Johnson, a California native, moved to Oklahoma for undergrad and law school, and eventually achieved his dream of becoming an NBA agent. Johnson started as an intern for the Oklahoma City Thunder basketball team during undergrad, before earning a position in basketball operations for the Thunder. His time there impressed then Assistant General Manager Michael Winger and the Thunder offered Johnson a full-ride scholarship to the University of Oklahoma Law School.
I met Johnson at a time when I needed guidance. My friend began bartending at a local bar in 2021 and told me one of his regulars was an agent. As a former basketball student-athlete and kids’ basketball coach, I knew that I wanted to get into the sports business.
I remember one of the first conversations we had about getting into the sports industry.
“Are you sure you really want this?” Johnson asked. He would repeatedly ask this over the course of our many conversations to emphasize how challenging the industry is. I wasn’t sure what he meant by this until I began to see how hard he worked.
Maurice Johnson smiling after a successful negotiation.
As our friendship rapidly grew, I found myself turning to him for anything that was on my mind, knowing that he was always available to provide any insight he could. Through our frequent conversations, I learned that he too had been fortunate enough to receive valuable support and encouragement from a mentor in his own life.
Reflecting on his own experiences, Johnson recalled a pivotal moment in which one of his professors provided him with the encouragement and validation he needed to pursue his dreams.
“I remember one of my professors told me the Thunder came to them and said, ‘Maurice can really do this for a living if he wants to,” said Johnson. “From there, when I heard those words, nothing else mattered.”
Out of law school, Johnson was hired to work for the Los Angeles Clippers, where Winger became general manager in 2017. An agency quickly poached him in New York, where Johnson began his career as an agent.
“An agent acts as a liaison between the team and your client,” said Johnson, who acts as a Swiss Army Knife. “You're their broker, negotiator, or confidant and attorney.”
In 2022, Johnson took part in launching a new sports firm, PNW Sports Group, where he is a junior partner. A sports firm is a business organization that operates in the sports industry, providing services related to sports management, marketing, sponsorship and event planning.
At PNW, Johnson began a new role as director of marketing where he oversees shaping the agency's brand identity, promoting its services to potential clients and driving revenue growth by securing new business deals and endorsement opportunities.
Johnson's new role builds on his foundation as an agent and expands his responsibilities beyond player-to-agent relations.
From working for a team and now his agency, Johnson sees the increased importance of paying attention to detail to begin the long-term success of the firm.
“How do I make the agency better every day?” said Johnson. “You have to find ways to keep improving, stay self-motivated and be task-oriented on yourself and your work.” There’s little room for error in the sports business, especially as Johnson is determined to keep clients happy.
Mouhamed Gueye, Dakar native and forward for Washington State, is one of Johnson’s clients. Gueye, a projected first-round pick in the NBA 2023 draft, is having a stellar season as a sophomore.
“For him, a day-to-day basis is we're talking to teams, we're talking to media, whether it be the Nets or the Kings,” said Johnson. “Whether it's just a text to their director of basketball operations or director of scouting.” Johnson’s role is to advocate for his clients and increase their stock.
One of Johnson’s proudest achievements was being a part of a trip to scout young basketball talent in Dakar, Senegal. “Really connecting and relating with these families and building a true relationship with them was the greatest part,” Johnson said.
Luis and Maurice.
We are now beginning to see the NBA venture into Africa and invest in young talent there. With the creation of the Basketball Africa League (BAL), the NBA hopes to expand the game of professional basketball and create a pipeline.
“Man, just wait,” said Johnson. “We're in 2023 right now; just wait till 2028, 2030.” He believes the future is bright for the young basketball players in Africa.
Victor Williams, the NBA Africa CEO, recently talked to The Athletic where he discusses the development of the BAL.
“If we think about growing the game of basketball in Africa, an important element in that is ensuring that young people who are interested in the game and want to invest in developing their skills … see a pathway where there is a future for them in playing basketball at a really high level on the continent,” Williams said.
The expansion of the NBA abroad will bring in business and grow the game of basketball in places where it hasn’t been as prominent due to a lack of resources. The NBA’s growth in Africa stands as a testament to its commitment to successfully developing foundations of basketball for kids worldwide.
“The raw talent is there man. It's insane. Like I said, the love for their basketball and how seriously they take it, it's a recipe for success. It's going to be great.” Johnson said.
Johnson became a certified NBPA agent at 26 years old and hasn’t looked back since. In just 3 years Johnson was able to partake in launching a firm and garner an impressive clientele. In a field where being young can be a challenge in proving your work, Johnson was able to use it as fuel to perfect his craft.
“I always like to use the term ‘I need to be great to be considered good,’ and that's just the flight of the industry,” he said.
Witnessing Johnson’s work ethic over the last two years has shown me how much he loves and cares about basketball, his work and ultimately his clients.
His resilience and persistence in following his dreams and working to be the best version of himself has paid off immensely. But this is just the beginning for Johnson.
“You need to go on every day bright-eyed and bushy-tailed and be open to learning,” said Johnson, when speaking about young people aspiring to work in the sports business.
“If you come with that concept, you'll be amazing at whatever you do. You can learn something from anybody at any given time. Whether that is sitting at a bar, sitting in a park or in a classroom. There’s always an opportunity to learn.”
