Steve A. Kauffman

Steve A. Kauffman is an American professional sports agent who currently represents many prominent National Basketball Association (NBA) and collegiate coaches.

Background and education

Kauffman holds a Bachelor's degree in accounting from Temple University and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania Law School.

Early career

Kauffman began working in the sports industry in the 1970s, at the age of 27, providing accounting and legal services for such clients as Muhammad Ali and basketball Hall of Famers Julius Erving and Charles Barkley. He subsequently founded KSMG where he represented a number of high-profile professional athletes such as Dominique Wilkins and Rony Seikaly.[1][2][3] Kauffman negotiated many notable contracts, including the record-setting Jon Koncak $13.2 million, six-year deal, making the journeyman center the 5th highest paid basketball player at that time.[4][5]

Kauffman invented the 'player opt out' and 'love of the game' clauses, both common in modern professional athlete contracts.[2] Kauffman's first National Football League (NFL) client was Chicago Bears first-round Draft pick Brian Urlacher, whom Kauffman represented for eight years.[6]

Kauffman also served as the Commissioner of the Eastern Basketball Association, which expanded under his leadership and became known as the Continental Basketball Association (CBA).[2][7] The CBA was the world's first professional basketball league.[8]

Current work

Kauffman's current NBA head coaching clients include Michael Malone, Jeff Hornacek, Lionel Hollins,[9] Steve Clifford,[10] and Monty Williams.[11][12] He also represents numerous assistant coaches. Front office clients include Chris Wallace, Ryan McDonough,[13] John Hammond, Pete D'Alessandro, Jeff Bower and Donnie Walsh.[7][14][15] Other notable past and present clients include Paul Westphal,[16] Jon Koncak, Eric Snow,[1][17] Ron Darling, and Dominique Wilkins.[18][19] College basketball coaching clients include Dave Pilipovich, Ed DeChellis, Mark Price, and Brian Fish.[20]

Personal life

A Philadelphia native, Kauffman relocated to Malibu, California, in 1995. Kauffman and his wife, Jan, have five children (Matt, Jake, Casson, Jill and Lisa), a grandson (Boden), as well as two black standard poodles (Chanel and London).[21]

References
  1. "Blazers Insider: Coaching search should extend beyond Kaleb Canales". oregonlive.com. Retrieved 2014-02-13.
  2. "It's March Madness For College Coaches Too - SB Nation Bay Area". bayarea.sbnation.com. Retrieved 2014-02-13.
  3. Fischer, D. (1997). Fifty Coolest Jobs in Sports. Macmillan USA. ISBN 9780028618722.
  4. "The Atlanta Hawks' Jon Koncak was a center of little - 11.06.89 - SI Vault". sportsillustrated.cnn.com. Retrieved 2014-02-13.
  5. "NBA Has 64 Members In Millionaire Club - Philly.com". articles.philly.com. Retrieved 2014-02-13.
  6. "Hard to bear Chicago without Pro Bowler Brian Urlacher".
  7. "Kauffman adding college coaches to basketball client list". sportsbusinessdaily.com. Retrieved 2014-02-13.
  8. "Continental Basketball Association Company Profile - Yahoo Finance". biz.yahoo.com. Retrieved 2014-02-13.
  9. http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2014/jul/02/ex-grizzlies-coach-lionel-hollins-agrees-lead-broo/?CID=happeningnow
  10. "Steve Clifford's hiring as Charlotte Bobcats' head coach was 13 years in the making". charlotteobserver.com. Retrieved 2014-02-13.
  11. "Mark Jackson will not be next 76ers coach :InsideHoops". insidehoops.com. Retrieved 2014-02-13.
  12. "Jackson to renew his tour for a coaching gig this summer". probasketballtalk.nbcsports.com. Retrieved 2014-02-13.
  13. "Phoenix Suns pick old fan favorite Jeff Hornacek to try to turn around franchise's fortunes". azcentral.com. Retrieved 2014-02-13.
  14. "Ed Stefanski newest Raptors exec". torontosun.com. Retrieved 2014-02-13.
  15. "HoopsHype - Steve Kauffman Rumors". hoopshype.com. Retrieved 2014-02-13.
  16. "Opportunity knocks for assistant coaches - NBA - Yahoo Canada Sports". ca.sports.yahoo.com. Retrieved 2014-02-13.
  17. "Sign in to Cleveland.com". cleveland.com. Retrieved 2014-02-13.
  18. "NBA lockout slams door on loan to Celtics' Dominique Wilkins. (lockout by basketball franchise owners suspends $8.4 million loan to Wilkins from the Boston Celtics)(Brief Article)". highbeam.com. Archived from the original on 2014-06-11. Retrieved 2014-02-13.
  19. "Report: Warriors assistant Malone eliminated from Magic head coach search". csnbayarea.com. Retrieved 2014-02-13.
  20. http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/2013/11/04/Labor-and-Agents/Labor-and-Agents.aspx
  21. Darren Heitner. "Steve Kauffman". sportsagentblog.com. Retrieved 2014-02-13.
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