Agents & Professional Service Providers

Please direct any questions or concerns related to athlete agents to Rob Rosner & NIL professional service providers to Abbey Shea


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The three distinct areas of NCAA rules regarding student-athlete representation are: athlete agents, men's & women's basketball "testing the waters" processes, and NIL Professional Service Providers.

Athlete Agents

NCAA student-athletes are prohibited from (1) accepting benefits from or (2) agreeing, orally or in writing, to be represented, now or in the future, by someone who intends to secure professional athletic services on their behalf unless or until the student-athlete exhausts or forfeits their intercollegiate eligibility. The NCAA defines the term "agent" very broadly - by their actions, anyone can be considered an athlete agent, regardless of certification, accreditation or schooling.  

Current student-athletes are able to contact, or be contacted by, prospective athlete agents during their collegiate careers so long as they don't enter into any type of representation agreement or accept any benefits - like a meal or an invite to a pre-draft party hosted by an agent for the agency's other clients. 

The state of Colorado does not require a registration or licensure process; there are also no fees or surety bonds required to work as an athlete agent. Familiarize yourself with the other dictates of state law, C.R.S. §§ 23-16-101 - 23-16-219, if you desire to work as an athlete agent in Colorado. 

If you are seeking to engage with CU student-athletes as a potential future athlete agent, please register here

2024 NCAA NFL Draft Educational Memo

June 2022 Track & Field Educational Memo 


Men's Basketball Agent Certification + Testing the Waters

In order to represent a DI men's basketball student-athlete through the process of weighing his professional prospects while maintaining his collegiate eligibility, an agent must be certified through the NCAA Enforcement Certification and Approvals Group (ECAG).

NCAA DI Agent Rules for Men's Basketball Student-Athletes

1. The student-athlete, with or without an agent, must first request an evaluation from the NBA Undergraduate Advisory Committee ("UAC"). He will receive written feedback before the NBA early entry deadline. 
  • Upon submitting this request, the student-athlete may hire an NCAA-certified agent
    • Anyone "performing the functions of a Player Agent" must be certified by the NBAPA
    • There must be a signed, written representation agreement in the form of the NBA Standard Player Agent Contract. A copy of this document must be on file with our office.
    • NCAA rules do not require a men's basketball student-athlete compensate the agent for representation services unless the agent/agency charges other clients for the same services
  • Once the SPAC is signed, an NCAA-certified agent may provide representation services to the student-athlete for the purposes of obtaining employment with a professional sports team or organization. During this time, the NCAA-certified agent may provide transportation, lodging and meals expenses related to meeting with the agency or with professional teams or attending tryouts without harming the student-athlete's intercollegiate eligibility  
2. With or without an agent, the student-athlete must apply for the NBA Draft as an Early Entrant 
  • The student-athlete may participate in the NBA Draft Combine and/or G League Elite Camp
  • The student-athlete may participate in one 48-hour tryout per NBA term per year without missing class to do so
3. Should the student-athlete choose to return to school, he must withdraw from the NBA Draft and officially declare his intention to resume intercollegiate participation. The student-athlete must terminate the agreement with his NCAA-certified agent and may no longer receive any expenses or benefits from the agent. 

Under NCAA rules, a student-athlete may "test the waters" without harming their eligibility every year - the NBA, however, only allows a player to withdraw from the Draft twice.

February 2023 NCAA NBA Draft Educational Memo


Women's Basketball Testing the Waters

A women's basketball student-athlete may enter a professional basketball league's draft one time during her collegiate career without jeopardizing her collegiate eligibility.

During this time, she may not accept benefits from or agree (orally or in writing) to be represented by an athlete agent. However, a student-athlete may have an advisor during the pre-draft process.
  • An advisor may not market the student-athlete to the WNBA or other professional leagues/teams nor may the advisor contact teams on the student-athlete's behalf to arrange workouts/tryouts
  • A student-athlete must compensate the advisor for services rendered; receiving the advisor's services at a free or reduced rate, regardless of whether the advisor typically charges clients for the same services, will harm the student-athlete's NCAA eligibility
A student-athlete may tryout with, and receive expenses from, a professional team. WNBA guidelines do not, however, permit teams to work out players prior to the WNBA draft.

If the student-athlete is not drafted, she must declare her intention to resume intercollegiate athletics participation wtihin 30 days of the draft.

March 2023 NCAA WNBA Draft Educational Memo


NIL Professional Service Providers

Per Colorado state law, student-athletes may obtain professional and/or legal representation by an athlete advisor without jeopardizing their NCAA eligibility. 

A Professional Service Provider (PSP) is an individual or a company that provides services to a student-athlete related to their NIL activities and may include, but is not limited to, a brand manager, marketing consultant, tax advisor or public relations manager. Any person or organization attempting to generate or execute NIL deals on behalf of a student-athlete is considered a PSP.
  • State law dictates that legal representation may only be provided by a licensed attorney
Under NCAA Bylaw 12.3.1, a student-athlete shall be ineligible for intercollegiate participation should they agree (orally or in writing) to be represented by an athlete agent.

Student-athletes may enter into an agreement with an Professional Service Provider for the sole purpose of NIL activities. Working with a PSP who represents them in professional sport contract negotiations or for the purpose of securing professional sports employment opportunities will be considered an impermissible athlete agent and such relationship will render the student-athlete ineligible.

Colorado state law mandates student-athlete disclose this relationship and all related representation agreements. 

If you are seeking to engage with CU student-athletes as a potential NIL professional service provider, please register with CU Athletics hereÂ