As the Oklahoma City Thunder returned from the All-Star break, NBA superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander made an executive decision to change his representation. According to Senior NBA insider Chris Haynes, Gilgeous-Alexander will reportedly move on from his representation and serve as his own agent.
Gilgeous-Alexander was previously represented by Joe Smith of Wasserman. The decision comes months before he’ll be eligible to sign a four-year, $294.3 million supermax extension that could keep him in Oklahoma City until the 2030-31 season.
NBA Superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Changes Representation
“I was just informed by league sources that Oklahoma City Thunder superstar guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has parted ways with his representations. He will act as his own agent to represent himself for all on-court matters. I’m told Simon G of I Love Management will still be on task for marketing and all off-the-court ventures,” Haynes said.
Gilgeous-Alexander is a young NBA superstar and a top candidate for MVP this season. He’s currently under contract through the 2026-27 season. The 26-year-old All-Star is on a five-year, $179,299,750 contract through 2027.
The former Kentucky Wildcats guard is the leader of the 44-10 Thunder and is currently averaging an NBA-high 32.5 points as well as 6.1 assists and 5.1 rebounds per game. OKC is tied with the NBA’s best record, mainly because of his efforts. The second half of the season is at hand as OKC looks to clinch the No. 1 seed and hope for a deep playoff run with Gilgeous-Alexander leading the way.
Sources: Oklahoma City Thunder superstar/MVP frontrunner Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has parted ways with his representation to make the bold move of serving as his own agent. #haynesbriefs
Brought to you by @Nuna_USA pic.twitter.com/mWN1ux6t31
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) February 19, 2025
The 6’6″, 195-point guard has been in the NBA for seven seasons, appearing in 82 games with the Clippers and 357 games with the Thunder. The NBA superstar is averaging 24.0 points, 5.0 assists, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.4 steals in 439 games.
The decision for an NBA player to represent themselves isn’t new but is rare. “There are very few players who have taken this path. Off the top of my head, Joel Embiid is another high-profile who has represented himself,” Haynes said.
It’s rare for athletes to represent themselves, but it’s happened on a high-profile stage before among professional sports. For example, Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson serves as his own agent and negotiated a five-year, $260 million contract with $185 million guaranteed during the 2023 offseason.
Also, Washington Commanders linebacker Bobby Wagner, a six-time first-team All-Pro, has been his own agent since 2019 and negotiated his last four deals.
It’ll be interesting to see how this affects potential contract negotiations as Gilgeous-Alexander and his Western Conference-leading Thunder squad will resume their season on Friday on the road at the Utah Jazz.
