Take it from somebody’s who been there and done that.
Longtime player agent Danny Espiritu advised his fellow agents to always put premium on their client’s decisions regarding their careers.
A handler of some of the biggest stars of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) like Scottie Thompson of Barangay Ginebra and Rence Nocum and Santi Santillan of Rain or Shine, Espiritu said he would never force his players to take a decision they won’t be happy about in the long run.
“The player is the boss. Even if teams pay, it’s the player’s performance that creates value. My role is just to guide them,” Espiritu said during an episode of “Off the Court,” the weekly sports show of DAILY TRIBUNE.
“Hopefully, agents and players listening today will better understand their roles — respect, trust and always thinking about what’s best for the player. Agents should never force decisions. If you do, the player will eventually leave you.”
The 79-year-old Espiritu’s list of clients speaks for his credibility.
Legends like Bong Alvarez, Kenneth Duremdes and Bong Ravena were handled by Espiritu in their careers and became successful during post-retirement.
Even his son Marvin picked up his trade as he now handles cagers like Kiefer Ravena, who plays in the Japan B. League.
Espiritu said he would often be seen in PBA games and would offer his services to other agents who are dealing problems with their clients.
“Some players come to me saying their agents pressured them into signing contracts. That creates problems later — they become unhappy and eventually leave,” Espiritu said.