Special thanks to Mena Mirhom, M.D., at Forbes for this great article highlighting this year’s Sports Business Classroom’s Immersive Experience.
“When most people picture a career in the NBA, they think about draft picks, locker rooms, or perfecting your jump shot. But in today’s league, many of the key power players are also off the court. The business of the league is often intricate, relationship-built, and nuanced. Advancement in this career often requires an understanding of the language of budgets, collective bargaining agreements, and the roles of all those involved to keep the league running and growing.
During NBA Summer League, two programs paved this career path for those aspiring to be among the next generation of NBA leadership. The first was the Sports Business Classroom, a front office training program held during NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. The second was Sports Management Worldwide, a global mentorship and training platform for aspiring sports professionals. Both speak to the growing desire for young people to learn the ins and outs of league operation and leadership.
At Sports Business Classroom, students get exposure to the spectrum of front office scenarios. They get a glimpse of how to negotiate trades, analyze salary cap constraints, and respond to live roster challenges. This peels back the curtain on the intricate world of business in sports and how to navigate it successfully from veterans in the field.
“This is year two for me as the lead instructor at Sports Business Classroom,” said Bobby Marks, ESPN analyst and former Assistant GM of the Brooklyn Nets. “Prior to this year, we had three majors students could choose from: Salary Cap, Scouting and Video Analytics, and Media and Broadcast.”
“This year, we added a fourth major, Athlete Representation and NIL, based on industry trends. We maxed out at 140 students. We started on Monday with speakers like Sam Presti, Kenny Atkinson, and Austin Reaves sharing how they broke into sports.”
Marks described a surprise moment that raised the bar for the entire week.
“The Commissioner himself showed up. Adam Silver dropped by our Sunday reception, which was unexpected. We weren’t banking on that. But it really sets the tone. Summer League is like Disneyland for NBA people.”
Click the following link to read the full article: https://www.forbes.com/sites/menamirhom/2025/07/29/front-office-blueprint-how-build-a-career-in-the-nba/
