The NBA Draft is a high-stakes game—and not just on the court. For top prospects, reputation can mean millions. Agents know this. That’s why behind every polished interview and Instagram highlight, there’s a team working hard to shape the story.From college stardom to draft night, an athlete’s public image is everything. That includes what shows up on Google. A bad search result? It can drop a prospect’s value or even get them passed over.
Here’s how agents manage that image, why NIL deals have raised the stakes, and how players are scrubbing the internet before the league ever calls their name.
The Draft Starts with Google
Teams don’t just look at tape—they look at search. Scouts watch film. GMs check combine stats. But before the final call, execs and ownership teams search names online. They want to know who they’re drafting—not just what they can do, but who they are.
One scout from a Western Conference team put it plainly:
“Before we call the pick, we’ve Googled everything. If something weird pops up, it’s a red flag.”
That means tweets, Reddit threads, old interviews, police records, and random YouTube clips.A bad link—even if it’s years old—can cost a player more than they think.
“We don’t just scout on the court—we look at everything,” said Rob Murphy, former General Manager of the Detroit Pistons. “A player’s online footprint tells us who they are off the court. If something questionable shows up, it’s not just a PR issue—it’s a decision factor.”
Agents Are Managing More Than Contracts
Narrative control is the new defense. NBA agents don’t just negotiate deals. They now build brands. They script interviews. They prepare media training. And they work with online reputation pros to shape what people see first. For example, if a prospect once posted something immature or got into a minor issue in high school, agents make sure it doesn’t dominate the first page of Google.
They’ll fill search with:
Positive press features
Player-written articles
NIL brand partnerships
YouTube workouts or interviews
Custom highlight reels
It’s not just hype—it’s strategy. If teams search the player’s name and see clean, professional results, they feel more confident making the pick.
NIL Deals Made Image Management Critical
Your face is the product now. Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) changed everything. College athletes can now make money from endorsements, merch, and brand deals before they ever go pro. But that also means brands are looking them up. They want clean, marketable athletes. One dumb tweet, one bad headline, or even one awkward post can kill a deal.
Stat: According to Opendorse, the average NCAA men’s basketball player earns $3,392 per NIL deal—but top-tier prospects make six figures or more.That’s not just pocket money. That’s career-shaping exposure. Athletes who show up well online build stronger NIL deals, attract more media, and land in better draft conversations.
Example: One SEC player deleted his old TikTok account and started fresh during March Madness. Within a month, he signed three NIL deals—including one with a shoe brand prepping for draft week.
Hiding the Embarrassing Stuff
It’s not always about deleting—it’s about replacing. When something bad shows up in search, most people think deletion is the answer. But Google doesn’t work that way. Unless the content breaks the law or violates a platform’s rules, it stays up. So agents and managers use a different approach: suppression.
That means burying the bad stuff under newer, better content. Articles, features, interviews, and SEO-friendly videos are all used to push down the unwanted result. If you want to remove google search result content, it’s usually done by working directly with the source—asking the site to take it down or correcting false info. If that doesn’t work, content teams flood Google with stronger, positive content so the bad result drops off page one.
What Athletes Can Do Right Now
Start managing your own name early. If you’re a top college player, or even a future one, your search results already matter.Here’s what to check and fix:1. Google yourselfSearch your name + basketball, your school, and any usernames. Make note of anything sketchy, old, or embarrassing.2. Delete what you controlOld tweets, YouTube channels, Facebook photos—take it all down. If it’s cringey or confusing, get rid of it.3. Create new contentStart a clean Instagram. Post training clips, interviews, or team content. Add a basic website with your bio, stats, and media links.4. Ask for help if needed
If something serious shows up—like a damaging blog post or false article—talk to your agent or a media advisor. There are professional teams who can help remove or bury it properly.
The Silent Part of Every Draft
Behind every big pick is a clean Google page. We see the hats. We hear the speeches. But what we don’t see is the weeks of online cleanup that happened before a player walks that stage. Top picks have teams working behind the scenes—not just on training and travel, but on reputation. Because once the league calls, the spotlight doesn’t turn off. Every fan, reporter, sponsor, and critic will be searching. And whatever shows up needs to be worth the attention.
“I tell my players all the time—your name is your brand,” said Oran Spencer, former coach of the St. Ann Academy Wildcats. “College scouts might see your highlights, but they’re also checking your social media and search results. One bad post can undo years of hard work.”
Image Is Everything Now
In today’s NBA, being draft-ready means more than stats. It means being searchable—and looking sharp when people type your name. Agents get it. Players are starting to get it. And everyone with money on the line is already paying attention. If you’re headed to the pros, clean up now. Because if Google doesn’t like what it sees, your draft stock might fall before you ever hit the floor.
