Athletes First, one of football’s most dominant sports management firms, is expanding into a new arena after 25 years. The agency, founded in 2001, has launched a full basketball division, hiring industry veterans John Noonan and Brandon James to build an NBA and NIL practice.
The firm represents NFL stars including Ravens running back Derrick Henry and Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott. Its President of Team Sports, David Mulugheta, is the top-ranked NFL agent on Forbes’ 2025 Most Powerful Sports Agents list. He told Entrepreneur the company had earlier chances to start a basketball arm, but none felt right until now.
Why the Timing Worked
Mulugheta said Athletes First has long pursued diversification. It already represents NFL coaches, front-office executives, college coaches and broadcasters, so basketball was a logical next step. The firm would only move, however, with people who fit its culture.
He also pointed to a changing landscape. NIL rules now let agents build relationships with athletes as young as 15 to 17, which has lowered the barrier to entry. Mulugheta added that the NBA is a more global sport than football, and that earlier access lets agents show their worth to families sooner.
Same Business, Different Sport
Working with younger clients means involving parents far more. It also means teaching habits early, from caring for their bodies to understanding how money and taxes work. Mulugheta said that long runway should help athletes by the time they reach the pros.
He stressed that the fundamentals of good representation don’t change from sport to sport. The goal is to make athletes’ lives easier off the field or court, and success depends on how the firm operates and treats clients. In his view, basketball is the same business Athletes First has always been in, applied to a new sport.
For entrepreneurs, the move is a lesson in patience: wait for the right people, the right culture and a market that has shifted in your favor.