A Lifetime Devoted to Basketball
Sportiw: Can you start by telling us how you came to work for an agency?
Pol : Certainly, my whole life has been related to basketball, it has always been my sport.
I started as a player, then as a coach, but due to work reasons, it was difficult to combine basketball with my job. I wanted to maintain my passion, so I decided to explore the world of player representation.
I enjoy dealing with people and consider the development of a player important. An agent’s role can be crucial in their career if done constructively.
That’s why I decided to investigate this world and start my career as an agent.
Sportiw: Did you pass the FIBA agent exam?
Pol: Yes, I took the FIBA agent course and am officially a FIBA agent today. I am very happy about it.
Creation of the Icon Basketball Agency
Sportiw: Are you working independently or within a larger agency?
Pol: I worked with a large European agency, Lotsos Sports, a very important agency with renowned players like Milos Teodosic, Shane Larkin, and Aleksandar Vezenkov. But a few months ago, although I learned a lot from this agency, I decided to start on my own and create my own agency, Icon Basketball Agency.
Sportiw: At what levels and in which geographic areas are you working? How do you define yourself as an agent?
Pol: I focus on young players, working with the main youth teams in Spain. At the professional level, I am starting with young players with interesting trajectories, beginning with the EBA and LEB Plata leagues, although I have made some moves with LEB Oro. I hope to make some deals with top league teams in the future.
Sportiw: Do you work nationally or do you also have international contacts?
Pol: Initially, I am with my players at a national level, but thanks to the experience with the FIBA license, I have met different agents worldwide. Currently, I am also working with the Asian market and part of the European market.
Discovering Sportiw Through a Player
Sportiw: How did you discover the Sportiw platform?
Pol: I discovered the Sportiw platform through a player who contacted me on Instagram. From there, I investigated the platform a bit and found it very interesting, similar to a LinkedIn for basketball. I started exploring and seeing the use and functionality of the application.
Sportiw: How do you use the platform?
Pol: At first, I used it to see possible job offers posted by clubs, always connecting with offers that presented the club’s name and the person sharing it. Then also to search for players according to what the clubs were looking for. I tried to match them to see their current situation.
Succes story: "I made my first transfer as an independent agent thanks to sportiw."
The response rate of the players is very good!
Sportiw: What has been your experience with players on the platform?
Pol: About 30% of the players responded, which seems quite good for the platform. Then we continued having direct contact.
Sportiw: Do you have any success stories or interesting anecdotes?
Pol: Success story: Through Sportiw, I made my first transfer as an independent agent. As an anecdote, I met a sports director of an EBA League club who is also a user of the platform. We have met personally, and I can consider him a friend and work colleague thanks to the platform. We have connected, and I am very proud of it.
Sportiw: Any foreign contacts through the platform?
Pol: For now, few, but I am still working on it.
The World of Agency is Changing
Sportiw: Any future projections about your agency or something you would like to tell the readers?
Pol: I think the world of the agency is changing.
My vision as an agent, the most important thing, apart from the team they play for, is to accompany the player throughout their professional career, not just in sports.
In the end, it all comes down to the player growing, but not only in sports. Transparency, honesty, and professionalism are key. I want to support the player in all aspects so they can grow in a balanced way.
Thank you, Pol, for your time and for sharing your story with us.