WME Sports has announced the acquisition of BDA Sports, one of the premier NBA representation firms. This comes with the appointment of Bill Duffy, BDA's founder and a renowned agent, to lead its basketball division. The acquisition follows WME's minority investment in BDA in 2020 and the deal now sees WME taking full ownership of the company. Duffy's addition brings several top young NBA players to WME, including Luka Doncic, Scottie Barnes, Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams, RJ Barrett, and Deandre Ayton, among others.
In an ever-changing athlete representation landscape, this deal broadens the scope of entertainment, endorsement, and post-career opportunities for players. Duffy and BDA have represented 30 NBA draft lottery picks and 44 All-Stars, including Hall of Famers Steve Nash and Yao Ming.
Duffy expressed his excitement about the new partnership with WME, saying, "The collaboration and partnership with WME is the best that I can offer my clients. My philosophy is the long game and caring about your future well beyond your playing days. WME has so many retired athletes who've exceeded their expectations in that area -- and it offers our clients a chance to look at that bigger picture while you're still on the court now."
Karen Brodkin, co-head of WME Sports, spoke about the cultural fit between the two companies, stating, "What we're building with Bill and his team is a great cultural fit for our team. We wanted to be together in a more productive and efficient way to serve clients." Carlos Fleming, the head of basketball marketing and off-court strategy, and Joe Branch, the head of basketball strategy and business development, will continue to be a part of the WME basketball division.