Sports Agent C. Lamont Smith Sustains Excellence for Three Decades
Saturday, January 23rd, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(BLACK PR WIRE)
Each year at the NFL draft, players come and go. Other than the team names, few things remain the same. But for three decades now, black sports agent C. Lamont Smith has defied the odds. Year end and year out, Smith, who is among the most respected sports agents of any color, consistently comes out on top. For this year’s 2005 draft, he scored big for one of his main clients, University of Michigan standout Braylon Edwards who was selected number three overall, making Smith the only black agent to have a player selected in the top five. Edwards is set to join the Cleveland Browns.
Highly coveted, Edwards won the 2004 Biletnikoff Award as the nation’s top wide receiver. In addition, he set school records for receptions (242), receiving yards (3,542), receiving touchdowns (39) and 100-yard receiving games (16). So a lot of agents wooed him. Edwards, a Detroit native whose father Stanley Edwards also played for Michigan and the NFL, selected Smith, who has also worked with Barry Sanders, Eddie George and Jerome Bettis. Lamont’s reputation in the NFL is solid. We knew we were getting a high class agent,” says Edwards. ‘Obviously being African American is a plus but, more importantly, he is one of the top agents across the board. Not just the top black agent, but a top agent period.”
Smith, who is president and founder of the Denver-based All Pro Sports & Entertainment, is frequently cited among the most influential people in sports. Recently Black Enterprise selected him as one of the top 50 black sports professionals in the country. In addition, Sports Illustrated has also cited him among the 101 most influential minorities in sports twice. Smith, who graduated magna cum laude from Atlanta’s Clark Atlanta University and received his law degree from Howard University, has negotiated several huge contracts. In 2000, he made his client, former Tennessee Titan Eddie George the highest paid running back with a $42 million contract. Shortly thereafter, he helped make Denver Broncos player Trevor Pryce the highest paid defensive player in the league with a $60 million contract. A few moments during his career, Smith has even had the dubious distinction of placing at least one player with each of the NFL’s teams.
Huge contracts and an enviable client roster aside, Smith’s longevity has more to do with the lifelong commitments he and his clients usually make to each other. Despite the fact that it’s been many years since Barry Sanders played in the NFL, Smith still handles a number of his affairs. In addition, several of his other major clients, Jerome Bettis among them, have continued a partnership with him well-beyond draft day.
“The difference with us is that we strive to make a commitment to the person and not just his talent. My clients understand that I am here to help them build a foundation around their God-given talents. But they also understand that I see them as more than how well they carry a ball or sack a quarterback,” said Smith.
Even though he, himself, has set as many records as a number of his clients, like them, Smith is not resting on his past accomplishments. As much has he has changed the face of sports off the field, Smith continues to challenge himself. “To continue to attract the tremendous athletes I’ve been blessed to work with,” says Smith. I have to maintain a sense of humility and worthiness. I have been extremely fortunate to have represented top players in three different eras of football: Barry Sanders was drafted in 1989, Jerome Bettis in 1993, Eddie George in 1995 and now Braylon Edwards in 2005. I feel good about my achievements but there’s always room for even greater success.”
About All Pro Sports & Entertainment, Inc.
All Pro Sports & Entertainment, Inc. is a world-class sports management firm that specializes in the representation of sports professionals. With a valued reputation and commitment to our clients’ careers, APSE has the privilege of representing several of the most respected and celebrated names in sports. Our clients range from athletes, coaches and broadcasters in various sports. The extensive scope accommodates us with an unparalleled awareness of the industry’s pulse, which helps us proactively position our clients to prosper from emerging trends.