NBA agent Chris Gaston on starting a Black-owned agency: ‘I want to build a legacy for me and my kids’
Family First Sports Firm was started as a means to empower others
Chris Gaston is an NBA agent that is on the rise. His motto is family always comes first, so it only made sense for his agency to be called Family First Sports Firm. The NBA agent spoke exclusively with TheGrio to discuss his untraditional route to becoming an NBA agent, the importance of representation, and what success means to him.
“I was an agent before I knew I was an agent, you know, with several of my clients”, Gaston says as he reflects on his journey. “I was always helping these guys with decisions, whether it was picking a new team, picking a college, helping to figure out a major, what class they were going to take, I was always more invested than just where we’re going to go on the basketball court.”
Prior to becoming an agent, Gaston worked in player development, founding the Houston Preps AAU Team, and worked as the marketing associate for the Houston Rockets. It was when he was working with other companies that he realized it was time for him to branch out and start his own.
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“I just kind of reached a breaking point was like, you know, I don’t like the way things are going. I’m educated, I have enough experience, I have enough knowledge and network. It’s time for me to become certified and do this full time,” Gaston explains.
This industry is so competitive self-doubt can creep, but the NBA agent shared that this is bigger than him. “I want to build a legacy for me and my kids,” he says.
Black agents in sports have definitely been on the rise and Gaston shared the importance of representation in the industry.
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“The number one reason why I started Family First so I can empower, I have an ability to hire people to look just like me and let kids know that it’s okay to have someone who looks like you. You know, that’s perfectly fine. We’re just as equipped as anyone else.”
Gaston went on to share that we are moving away from agents looking the stereotypical way and he is here to shatter that perception. When looking for players, a key trait is loyalty.
“I recruit a certain type of player because I need guys that are loyal and are not going to be ready to leave every time the wind blows. There are going to be some difficult times, are going to be good days and bad days. But you know where our relationship will stand on the bad days that’s how I judge a man and his character,” he says.
Gaston has already signed some major contracts, with rising star De’Aaron Fox and other notable clients such as Cav Guards Damyean Dotson and NY Knicks Center Nerlens Noel. He hopes in the next five years, he will be successful on his own terms.
“You know, my definition of success, is working with good players, signing new contracts and building long-lasting relationships, that’s truly key.”
To learn more about Chris Gaston and his sports firm visit here.
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