NBA Agent Joins Pickleball Revolution: Chris Patrick, once a top NBA agent, is now helping grow professional pickleball. Patrick, 41, serves as the deputy commissioner of the Professional Pickleball Association Tour after years of negotiating major basketball contracts. He is leading the charge to expand one of the fastest-growing sports in the United States.
From NBA Deals to Pickleball Courts
Chris Patrick’s career began far from pickleball. After playing tennis and basketball at Division III Keuka College in New York, he planned to become a criminal attorney. His path changed during law school at Western New England University when he helped a friend negotiate a pro basketball contract in Mexico.
That first step led Patrick into sports management. Over the years, he represented players like Jimmy Butler and Robert Covington. His focus was on international players and under-the-radar talent.
“My niche was kind of like international players coming over from Europe to here, and the under-the-radar guys. Jimmy Butler, Robert Covington, I kind of made my living with those guys.” – (Patrick)
Patrick worked at Relativity Sports with Happy Walters.
“He cold-called me for a job as a new basketball agent and showed up for our meeting with confidence and a vision that impressed me. I hired him on the spot.” – (Walters)
Patrick eventually negotiated over $120 million in NBA contracts and assisted on more than $250 million in deals.
Discovering Pickleball by Chance
Patrick first encountered pickleball in 2019 while traveling with NBA player Eric Moreland. In between NBA playoff games, he picked up a paddle and started playing around the country. He became hooked on the sport and turned professional in late 2020.
Soon, other pickleball players were reaching out for contract advice. One of his first big clients was Riley Newman.
“He was only making around $2,000 a month. Within a year, we got him up to high-six figures in sponsorships. It kind of went from there.” – (Patrick)
Connor Pardoe, CEO of the PPA Tour and Major League Pickleball, said, “He was the first agent to see the potential in professional pickleball.” Patrick eventually represented 14 of the top 25 players in the PPA Tour, making him the sport’s first major dealmaker.
Joining the PPA Tour Leadership
In 2022, the PPA Tour hired Patrick as deputy commissioner. At the time, the organization had just 17 employees. It now boasts over 250. His role allowed him to keep living in Charlotte while helping lead the growth of the sport.
In late 2022, Patrick took on additional duties as general counsel during talks about merging the PPA Tour and Major League Pickleball. This shift meant he had to stop representing NBA and pickleball players, ending a career that included negotiating Hawks guard Garrison Mathews’ $8.2 million deal.
“Chris has always been ahead of the curve. It’s wild, but also no surprise to see him leading the charge in pickleball.” – (Mathews)
Patrick now oversees player contracts, sponsorships, venue deals, and expansion projects for the tour. His work has also helped connect professional pickleball to the NBA world. NBA stars like Kevin Durant, LeBron James, and Magic owner Ryan DeVos now own stakes in pickleball teams.
In 2024, Patrick added another title: general manager of the Las Vegas Night Owls, owned by Tom Brady. The announcement drew praise from NBA executives.
“I probably had 22 [NBA] executives reach out to me, congratulate me. More than whatever called me for [an NBA] draft.” – (Patrick)
A New Career with Familiar Skills
Patrick said he did not plan to leave agent work but found new satisfaction in his role with the PPA Tour.
“Part of what I enjoyed as an agent was less about negotiating a contract. What I did for an individual athlete, looking for those opportunities, is what I’m doing for the tour, is very much what I’m passionate about. Even though the scenery has changed on what I do, what I enjoy has been very much similar.” – (Patrick)
Despite the different setting, Patrick finds his work in pickleball just as rewarding as his NBA career. He plans to continue building the sport’s future.
News in Brief: NBA Agent Joins Pickleball Revolution
Chris Patrick, former NBA agent, now serves as deputy commissioner and general counsel for the Professional Pickleball Association Tour. After a successful basketball career, Patrick found new passion in growing pro pickleball, leading expansion efforts, player contracts, and sponsorships while connecting the sport to major investors from the NBA world.
ALSO READ: Gateway Park’s Tennis Courts Makeover Brings Pickleball Revolution with Free Lessons!