chris.ha • May 5, 2021
LA VIP AGENT: WHY LIFE AFTER PRO SPORTS SHOULDN'T BE HARD
I played professional basketball overseas and it was one of the best times of my life. The transition after retirement was not too hard for me but I know others who had a difficult time. Some retire by choice and some it was due to injury. Regardless it ends for each and every one of us too early, so coming to terms with this is not always a smooth process.
Psychological it may relate to a loss of identity, something that has defined us for so long over in a day, heap of hours spent on the gridiron or hardwood doesn’t help either. The stretching routing, icing and highs and lows of our season was a regular occurrence that is not easy to let go of. Every single moment we had was dedicated to this sport and we had to be at our tip top shape, so what now?
I was lucky because I had other passions: cars and real estate, so my competitive nature was simply transferred from one avenue, putting a ball in the hoop at a high level, to selling multimillion dollar homes. They aren’t really that far apart, both are done under high stress and expectation, every part of the game (or in the case of real estate, every part of the sale requires top performance.
So what are my tips for athletes to avoid the feeling of being lost and confused after their sports career ends? Below are some basic thoughts to help athletes start thinking about how to transition into a post athletic career.
Rod Watson, Real Estate Advisor to celebrity sports stars like Zach Randolph, De’Aaron Fox, and Markelle Fultz, has left his role as Sports and Entertainment Director at Revel Real Estate to join forces with Keller Williams Beverly Hills, The Real Deal has learned. The reason Rod has chosen to partner with KW Beverly Hills is simple, it’s all about leadership and support. “At KW Beverly Hills they fully support my vision. I will work jointly with our leadership team, Paul Morris and Josh Spitzen, to continue my efforts in building the premier Sports and Entertainment real estate brand.” KW has a proven track record of helping their agents build profitable businesses through their systems and billion-dollar technology. “The Forward Living sub-brand of KW offices in greater los Angeles provides further resources and leverage to help me realize my vision more quickly and profitably.” Rod says this partnership will help provide his brand with a global presence along with the support to help train and grow his team. Rod officially joined KW Beverly Hills on May 26th and will focus on servicing celebrities, athletes, investors, developers, millennials and high net worth professionals.
Basketball veteran Zach Randolph has yet to find a team for the upcoming NBA season, but he has found a new home. A corporate entity tied to the two-time All-Star has paid out $5.195 million for a brand new mansion in Encino, records show. The affluent San Fernando Valley neighborhood is home to many athletes, and fellow basketball players JaVale McGee, Kenny Smith and Gilbert Arenas have all owned property there over the last few years. Covering half an acre, the property packs in plenty of amenities. In addition to an 8,200-square-foot home, there’s a swimming pool, a cabana with a bathroom, a fire pit lounge, an outdoor kitchen, an herb garden and a basketball court. A vast open floor plan full of clean lines, white walls, light hardwood floors and pocketing doors anchors the three-story interior. A 300-bottle wine cellar sits at the center, and surrounding it are a chandelier-topped dining room, living room with a fireplace and custom kitchen with a split-level island.
As the drive increases for society to become more inclusive, and provide sustainable and equitable support for Black communities, the real estate sector has come into the spotlight for lack of racial representation. To date, Rod Watson, founder of The Watson Group LAVIPagent team, and Director of Sports and Entertainment at Keller Williams Beverly Hills, has sold and negotiated over $120 million in real estate during his 14 year career. He says, "I've learned a lot of valuable information when it comes to real estate investing. My focus has been to help as many athletes and people of color as I can to generate, and maintain generational wealth through real estate investing. That is my purpose and reason for being in this business." His journey began with a dream to get out of the impoverished 5th Ward community in Houston, Texas, the community which he grew up in, and make his name in sports. He did that and so much more. Today, a successful Realtor in the luxury market, Rod counts his clients as some of the most recognised names in sports and entertainment. Yet, this real estate professional is much more than a salesman. I caught up with Rod to learn more about the switch from professional sports to real estate, and why he made a pledge to himself to put diversity and inclusion at the heart of what he, and his industry does.
