The world of athlete representation is complicated, and the stakes are higher than ever. Whether you’re a high school athlete thinking about your future, a college player navigating NIL deals, or a pro looking at new opportunities, you need to know how to protect yourself before you ever sign with an agent.

That’s why I brought in Luke Fedlam, a non-agent sports attorney who calls himself a “protector of possibilities.” Luke is the partner and co-chair of the Entertainment, Sports, and Media Practice at Amundsen Davis and managing partner of Advance NIL. Translation: he’s seen it all when it comes to athlete empowerment, contracts, and the pitfalls that can wreck careers if you’re not careful.

In this episode, Luke breaks down the five essential things every athlete should know before signing with an agent. We dig into:

• How to identify the services you actually need instead of letting an agent tell you what you want
• The right way to do due diligence—everything from a basic Google search to deep background checks
• Why written contracts and favorable termination clauses aren’t optional
• The red flags of rushing into agreements
• And how to keep monitoring the relationship so you’re always in the driver’s seat

We also talk about the difference between professional player agents (who have oversight) and NIL agents (who often don’t), how to avoid paying multiple agents for the same deal, and why protecting your intellectual property is non-negotiable.

At the end of the day, you are the CEO of your brand. Luke’s insights will give you the tools to step into that role with clarity and confidence.

You can follow him on all platforms at @LukeFedlam for more on how to protect your possibilities.