The NBA Draft is a high stakes game and isn’t just for the courts. For top prospects, reputation can mean millions. Agents know this. So, behind all the sophisticated interviews and Instagram highlights is a team working hard to shape the story.
From College Stardom to Draft Night, it’s all about public imagery for athletes. This includes what you see on Google. Bad search results? You can either lower or even pass on the potential customers.
Here are how agents manage their images, why Nil’s deals raised interests, and why players scrub the internet before the league calls their names:
The draft starts from Google
The team not only watches tapes, but also looks at searches. Scouts watch the movie. Combines gms check statistics. But before the final call, executives and ownership teams search for names online. They want to know not only what they can do, but who they are, but who they are drafting.
One scout from the Western Conference Team made it clear:
“We Googled everything before calling out the pick. When something strange pops up, it’s a red flag.”
That means tweets, Reddit threads, old interviews, police records, and random YouTube clips.
Bad links can cost players more than they think, even years ago.
“We don’t just scout in court, we see everything,” he said. Rob Murphyformer general manager of the Detroit Pistons. “The player’s online footprint tells them who’s off the court. If something suspicious appears, it’s not just a matter of PR. That’s the deciding factor.”
Agents manage more than contracts
Narrative control is a new defense. NBA agents don’t just negotiate deals. They’re building a brand now. They write the interviews. They prepare for media training. And they work with online reputation professionals to shape what people see first. For example, if a prospect posts something that was once immature or becomes a minor issue in high school, the agent will make sure that it doesn’t control the first page of Google.
They fill in searches:
- Positive Press Function
- Articles written by players
- NIL Brand Partnership
- YouTube Workout or Interview
- Custom Highlight Reels
It’s not just hype, it’s a strategy. When teams search for players’ names and see beautiful, professional results, they are confident they will make a choice.
Image management has been important in both cases.
Your face is now a product. Names, images, portraits (nils) have changed everything. College athletes can make money from support, products and brand deals before becoming a professional. But that also means the brand is looking for them. They want clean and marketable athletes. One stupid tweet, one bad headline, or even one nasty post can kill the deal.
statistics: According to Opendorse, the average NCAA men’s basketball player earns $3,392 per deal, while the top-class prospects make over six figures.
It’s not just pocket money. That’s the exposure to career development. Athletes often appear online build stronger deals, attract more media and land with better draft conversations.
example: One SEC player deleted his old Tiktok account and started fresh during the March madness. Within a month he signed three nil deals, including one, including preparation for the Draft Week shoe brand.
Hide embarrassing things
That’s not always to delete. That’s to replace it. When something bad appears in your search, I think deletion is the answer for most people. But Google doesn’t work that way. It will stay as long as the content does not break the law or violates the rules of the platform. Therefore, agents and managers use a different approach: suppression.
That means filling the bad under new, better content. Articles, features, interviews, and SEO-friendly videos are all used to push down unwanted results. if you want to Delete Google search results Content is usually done by working directly with the source. Delete the site or correct incorrect information. If that doesn’t work, the content team will kill Google with more powerful and positive content, so bad results will drop Page 1.
What athletes can do now
Start managing your name early. If you are a top player in college, or even a future player, your search results are already important.
This shows the checks and fixes:
1. Google it yourself
Search for Name + Basketball, School, and Username. Beware of anything sketchy, old or embarrassing.
2. Remove anything you control
Old Tweets, YouTube Channels, Facebook Photos – Down Everything. If it’s frizzy or confused, remove it.
3. Create a new content
Start a beautiful Instagram. Post-training clips, interviews, or team content. Add basic websites using bio, statistics and media links.
4. Ask for help if necessary
If something serious appears – touch your agent or media advisor, including harmful blog posts or false articles. There are professional teams that can help you remove or fill it properly.
The quiet part of every draft
Behind all the big picks is a clean Google page. I can see the hat. I hear a speech. But what we haven’t seen is the weeks of online cleanup that happened before players walked that stage. Top picks include teams working behind the scenes, not just for training and travel, but also for reputation. Because when the league makes a call, the spotlight won’t be turned off. Search for all fans, reporters, sponsors and critics. And whatever appears should be worthy of attention.
“I always say to the players, your name is your brand,” said Oran Spencer, former coach of the St. Anne Academy Wildcats. “College Scouts may see your highlights, but they check your social media and search results. One bad post can reverse years of hard work.”
Images are everything now
In today’s NBA, responding to drafts means more than statistics. It means it’s searchable and it means people will look sharp when typing your name. The agent gets it. Players are beginning to get it. And everyone who has money on the line is already paying attention. If you’re heading to a pro, clean it up now. If you don’t like what Google is watching, your draft stock may fall off before you hit the floor.
