Money Players

GQ runs a terrific article this month on William Wesley, the heretofore unknown basketball impresario, written by Alex French. (GQ also offers a photoshoot of Jessica Biel in the same issue which will ensure that a whole lotta men will know not only what Jessica looks like in a bathing suit, but also all about William Wesley.)

Wesley is a modern day Seinfeld, supposedly peddling nothing. Nothing?

According to Wesley's good friend LeBron James, Wesley has "never asked me for anything. He's always been trustworthy to me, and I respect him for that."

LeBron's sentiments are echoed by others.

Reebok executive Tom Shine: "Wes doesn't have a hidden agenda, unlike a lot of other people in the grass roots and the college-basketball business and the agent business and all of the other businesses that attach themselves like barnacles to these players."

2Live's Luther Campbell (in case you don't believe no shoe exec): "He doesn't come on as no salesman. You know, Wes never asks for nothing."

John Calipari: "Why would a pro player shun everybody else but bring this guy into the fold? Because he never asks for anything."

The author surmises all these "nothing for nothing" claims are dubious:

He never asks because the players already provide him with what he needs most: access. Wes's relationships with the NBA's elite players give him access to the owners and general managers of every team in the league. (Not to mention agents, media, and corporate execs.)...Nike also provides Wes with access to the nation's premier prep players at their summer basketball camps. And access to these kids means access to college coaches. William Wesley's world is integrated to the max. Working for nobody allows him to work for everybody.

Definitely worth reading the entire article. Also Henry Abbott from TrueHoop (who is mentioned in the article) has a great interview with GQ writer Alex French.