The NBA Draft is a high-risk game, not just on the court. For the highest prospects, reputation can mean millions. The agent knows this. That's why behind every great interview and Instagram highlights, there is a team working hard to shape the story.
From college stars to draft nights, the public image of the athlete is everything. This includes content displayed on Google. The search results are not good? It can reduce the value of potential customers and even make them pass.
It's how agents manage this image, why zero deals raise the stakes, and how players scrub the internet before the league calls their names.
The draft begins with Google
The team not only needs to look at the tape, but also the search. Boy Scouts watch the movie. GMS checks combined statistics. But before the last call, executives and ownership team searched for names online. They want to know who they are drafting, not what they can do, but who they are.
A scout from the Western Conference team clearly stated:
“We’ve searched everything before we called.
This means tweets, red threads, old interviews, police records and random YouTube clips.
A bad link (even if it's gone), players spend more than they thought.
“We’re not only scouting on the court,” said Rob Murphy, former general manager of the Detroit Pistons. “The players’ online footprints tell us they’re outside the court.
Agents manage more than contracts
Narrative control is the new defense. NBA agents not only negotiate transactions. They are building brands now. They scripted interviews. They prepare for media training. They work with online reputation experts to shape what people see first. For example, if a prospect has ever posted something immature or had a minor problem in high school, the agency makes sure it doesn't dominate Google's first page.
They will fill out the search:
- Positive media features
- Articles written by players
- Zero Brand Partnership
- YouTube workout or interview
- Custom highlight reels
It's not just hype – it's strategy. If the team searches the player's name and sees clean, professional results, they will be more confident.
Zero transactions make image management crucial
Your face is the product now. Name, image and similarity (nil) change everything. College athletes can now make money from recognition, merchandise and brand transactions. But that also means brands are looking for them. They want clean, sellable athletes. A stupid tweet, a bad title or even an awkward post can kill the deal.
Stat: According to Opendorse, the average NCAA male basketball player earns $3,392 per zero deal, but the top prospect makes six figures or more.
That's not just pocket money. This is a career exposure. Athletes who perform well online build stronger zero deals, attract more media, and participate in better draft conversations.
example: A SEC player deleted his old Tiktok account and started fresh in Madness March. Within a month, he signed three zero deals, including one shoe brand preparation draft week.
Hidden embarrassing things
This is not always to be deleted, but to be replaced. When something bad happens in search, most people think that deletion is the answer. But Google doesn't work properly. It remains unless the content violates the law or violates the rules of the platform. Therefore, agents and managers use a different approach: suppression.
This means burying bad things under updated, better content. Articles, features, interviews, and SEO-friendly videos are all used to drive unwanted results. If you want to delete Google search results content, it is usually done by working directly with the source – follow the website to delete it or correct error messages. If this doesn't work, the content team will flood Google with stronger, positive content, so bad results will drop on the first page.
What can athletes do now
Start managing your name as early as possible. If you are a top college player, or even a future player, your search results are already important.
Here is how to check and fix:
1. Google itself
Search for your name + basketball, your school and any username. Note down anything sketchy, ancient or awkward.
2. Delete content you control
Old tweets, YouTube channel, Facebook photos – drop them all. If it's cringing or confusing, get rid of it.
3. Create new content
Launch a clean Instagram. Training clips, interviews or team content. Add a basic website that includes your resume, statistics and media links.
4. If needed, please seek help
If serious occurrences occur (such as harmful blog posts or false articles), please contact your agency or media consultant. There are some professional teams that can help properly deletion or burial.
The silent part of each draft
Behind each election is a clean Google page. We see the hat. We hear the speech. But what we can't see is the online cleaning weeks that happened before the players walked to that stage. The team of top draft picks works behind the scenes, not just training and traveling, but reputation. Because once the league calls, the spotlight won't turn off. Every fan, journalist, sponsor and critic will be searching. And everything that appears is worth paying attention to.
“I keep telling my players — your name is your brand,” said Oran Spencer, former coach of the St. Ann College Wildcats. “College Scouts may see your highlights, but they are also checking your social media and search results. A bad post can eliminate the hard work.”
Images are everything now
In today's NBA, the meaning of being ready is more than statistics. This means that searchable – it looks clear when people type in your name. The agent understands. Players start to get it. Everyone has money and people are paying attention. If you are going to a professional, please clean it up immediately. Because if Google doesn't like what it sees, your draft stock may fall before you get on the floor.
