Adam Zagoria covers basketball at all levels. He is the author of two books and an award-winning journalist whose articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Sports Illustrated, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide.
Former CIA Bounce Director Mike George to Become NBA Agent
PHILADELPHIA — As we have covered extensively on this site, some of the best up and coming basketball players in the world are Canadian.
And now they will have the option of choosing a Canadian agent to represent them.
Mike George, who co-founded the highly successful Toronto-based CIA Bounce program that has featured Anthony Bennett, Andrew Wiggins, Tyler Ennis and Xavier Rathan-Mayes and others, is on the brink of becoming a certified NBA agent.
“Right now I’m independent,” George, 35, told SNY.tv by phone Sunday evening. “I’m in the process of deciding which firm.”
Every top agency would probably love to bring George aboard with the connections he has to some of the best rising players on the planet.
“I just have to find where I’m comfortable,” he said.
The 6-foot-7 Bennett is expected to come out and is as projected as the No. 5 pick in this year’s NBA Draft by DraftExpress.com. The 6-8 Wiggins is expected to be No. 1 in 2014. He has yet to pick a college and will choose from among Kentucky, Kansas, North Carolina and Florida State.
“Will I get every Canadian?” George said. “I can’t predict who I’ll have in the future. I just gotta prove myself in the business.”
George said he wouldn’t presume to rep any of the Canadian players, but hopes to give a presentation to Bennett’s parents.
“I’m going to do a presentaiton for his family, his mom and himself and obviously through them knowing me, I hope I give a good enough presentation,” George said.
A year from now, Wiggins could end up being his biggest client of all.
The Huntington (W.V.) Prep star is widely considered the best amateur on the planet and has deep ties to CIA Bounce.
Last summer, Wiggins, Ennis and Rathan-Mayes led Team Canada to the Nike Global Challenge final and CIA bounce to the Peach Jam final. George and Tony McIntyre, Ennis’s father, coached both teams.
“I’ve been doing 14 years of grass roots stuff and right now with the growth of basketball in Canada, a lot of the kids and parents felt like they needed someone in Canada they can trust, ” George said.
“It’s a challenging time to do it, but it’s the perfect time to do it,” he said. “I’ve always given 150 percent in whatever I do and this is just another chapter in my life.”
Adam Zagoria is a Basketball Insider who covers basketball at all levels. A contributor to The New York Times and SportsNet New York (SNY), he is also the author of two books and is an award-winning journalist and filmmaker. His articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide. He also won an Emmy award for his work on the SNY mini-documentary on Syracuse guard Tyus Battle.
A veteran Ultimate Frisbee player, he has competed in numerous National and World Championships and, perhaps more importantly, his teams won the Westchester Summer League (WSL) championships in 2011 and 2013.
He lives in Manhattan with his wife and children.
PHILADELPHIA — As we have covered extensively on this site, some of the best up and coming basketball players in the world are Canadian.
And now they will have the option of choosing a Canadian agent to represent them.
Mike George, who co-founded the highly successful Toronto-based CIA Bounce program that has featured Anthony Bennett, Andrew Wiggins, Tyler Ennis and Xavier Rathan-Mayes and others, is on the brink of becoming a certified NBA agent.
“Right now I’m independent,” George, 35, told SNY.tv by phone Sunday evening. “I’m in the process of deciding which firm.”
Every top agency would probably love to bring George aboard with the connections he has to some of the best rising players on the planet.
“I just have to find where I’m comfortable,” he said.
The 6-foot-7 Bennett is expected to come out and is as projected as the No. 5 pick in this year’s NBA Draft by DraftExpress.com. The 6-8 Wiggins is expected to be No. 1 in 2014. He has yet to pick a college and will choose from among Kentucky, Kansas, North Carolina and Florida State.
“Will I get every Canadian?” George said. “I can’t predict who I’ll have in the future. I just gotta prove myself in the business.”
George said he wouldn’t presume to rep any of the Canadian players, but hopes to give a presentation to Bennett’s parents.
“I’m going to do a presentaiton for his family, his mom and himself and obviously through them knowing me, I hope I give a good enough presentation,” George said.
A year from now, Wiggins could end up being his biggest client of all.
The Huntington (W.V.) Prep star is widely considered the best amateur on the planet and has deep ties to CIA Bounce.
Last summer, Wiggins, Ennis and Rathan-Mayes led Team Canada to the Nike Global Challenge final and CIA bounce to the Peach Jam final. George and Tony McIntyre, Ennis’s father, coached both teams.
“I’ve been doing 14 years of grass roots stuff and right now with the growth of basketball in Canada, a lot of the kids and parents felt like they needed someone in Canada they can trust, ” George said.
“It’s a challenging time to do it, but it’s the perfect time to do it,” he said. “I’ve always given 150 percent in whatever I do and this is just another chapter in my life.”
