The NBA Draft is a high-stakes game. Not just for teams but for players too. And these days, it’s not just about what you do on the court. It’s about what people see when they search your name online.
This year, as the NBA lottery wraps up, every top prospect is being discussed, analyzed, and scrutinized. But the real game begins long before they hit the stage. It starts with Google.
The Draft Starts with Google
Teams don’t just look at highlights—they look at search results. Scouts watch film. GMs study stats. But before a player gets that call, front offices Google their names. They check social media, news articles, Reddit threads, and even old TikTok clips.
A single bad result—an old tweet, a viral video, a controversial headline—can change everything.
“Before we call the pick, we’ve Googled everything. If something weird pops up, it’s a red flag,” said one NBA scout.
That means everything matters. Tweets, comments, random YouTube clips, even old interviews. And if something negative appears, it’s not just a PR problem—it can cost a player millions.
Agents Are Managing More Than Contracts
These days, NBA agents don’t just negotiate deals. They manage stories. They control search results.
If a prospect posted something dumb in high school or got involved in a minor scandal, agents work to make sure it doesn’t dominate the first page of Google. They use a mix of reputation management and SEO strategies to make it disappear or get buried.
Here’s how they do it:
- Positive Press: They flood search results with news articles, interviews, and feature stories.
- Player Content: They create YouTube channels, launch social media profiles, and share training clips.
- Strategic Deletion: They scrub old posts, take down bad content, or reach out to websites directly.
- SEO Suppression: They bury anything negative with new, positive content that’s more visible.
For top prospects, it’s a full-time job.
NIL Deals Changed Everything
Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) rules transformed college sports. Players can now earn money from endorsements before they go pro. But that also means brands are Googling them.
A single bad tweet, a messy breakup, or an old prank video can kill a deal.
One NCAA player scrubbed his entire TikTok account before March Madness. Within a month, he signed three NIL deals—including one with a major shoe brand.
According to Opendorse, the average NCAA men’s basketball player earns $3,392 per NIL deal. But top prospects? They make six figures.
Cleaning Up Before the Draft
For NBA prospects, the draft isn’t just a chance to go pro—it’s the start of a business. And cleaning up their online image is critical.
Here’s what players (and their agents) do:
1. Google Themselves
Search their name, their school, and any old usernames. Make a list of anything sketchy or embarrassing.
2. Delete What They Control
Old tweets, bad Instagram posts, awkward YouTube videos—anything that doesn’t fit their brand.
3. Replace It With Positive Content
Highlight videos, interviews, training clips, and even player-written articles. They want to flood the internet with good stuff.
4. Get Professional Help if Needed
If something serious shows up—like a bad news article or a false accusation—they bring in reputation management experts.
Why This Matters More in 2025
With the NBA lottery results in, teams are already making decisions. Top prospects are being watched. But not just on the court.
Draft night is just the public part. Behind the scenes, agents are polishing online reputations, deleting old posts, and making sure Google is a friend, not an enemy.
And it’s not just about teams. Sponsors are watching. Social media deals, shoe endorsements, even video game covers—everything depends on having a clean image.
One marketing executive put it simply: “We look at social media before we look at stats.”
The New Reality: Narrative Control
In 2025, being draft-ready means more than stats and measurements. It means being searchable—and looking sharp when people type your name.
Players who control their narrative will land bigger NIL deals, go higher in the draft, and build stronger brands. Those who ignore it? They might watch their stock drop before they ever set foot on an NBA court.
How NBA Stars Manage Legal Issues Before Going Pro
Paul Pierce is a household name in basketball, but his off-court issues sometimes made headlines too. In one case, Pierce faced a lawsuit from a cannabis consultant over unpaid wages. But what many don’t realize is that athletes like Pierce often take steps to manage these kinds of legal issues online—sometimes before they become public.
In Pierce’s case, the lawsuit made headlines, but many players facing similar situations work to keep their legal troubles from impacting their reputations. One of the most effective ways they do this is by removing court records from online databases like DocketAlarm, Justia, or even certain state court websites.
Final Thoughts
The NBA Draft has always been about talent. But in the age of instant information, it’s also about reputation. And the players who get it—who understand how to manage their image—will have an edge.
Because before the team calls your name, they’re calling up your search results.
