Sports agents play the advantage in Phila.

0 Comments | Philadelphia Inquirer, The, December, 2006 | by Robert Strauss

When Michael B. Siegel was a kid, his favorite player was Charles Barkley of the 76ers, and he practiced Barkleyesque moves on the playgrounds and school gyms in suburban Philadelphia. "I thought I would play pro, I guess, but then I had about five injuries and knew I would never get there," Siegel said.

So he pursued his NBA dream in a different way, being a sports agent. He went to law school at Villanova, interned with agents and, after graduation, got a job with the IMG Group, the firm started by Mark McCormack, who came to prominence making Arnold Palmer a star far beyond golf. A few years ago, Siegel decided to go out on his own. Armed with a list of mostly overseas basketball players, Siegel plugged hard, trying to recruit the best collegiate players, and finally...