Today we’d like to introduce you to Kenneth Griner.
Hi Kenneth, so excited to have you on the platform. So, before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Top of the top! My name is Kenneth Griner but I go by KG. I am an NBA Agent that lives in Dallas. I was born and raised in Wichita Falls, Texas (2 hours north of Dallas) in the neighborhood of Lynwood. I graduated from John Hirschi High School and decided to attend the University of North Texas with the hopes of walking on to the basketball team. My love for basketball and business were my only motivations to further my education beyond high school, which turned out to be a blessing because it kept me in school.
While in college, I knew I wanted to be a sports agent but had no idea of how to make that dream a reality. I remember looking through a catalog reading all the possible careers associated with a Marketing degree and a sports agent was listed under it. Without hesitation, I declared Marketing as my major. Two years later, I graduated with a Bachelor’s in Marketing, and my eyes set on being a sports agent… until someone told me I needed to have a law degree to take the agent exam (this was before Google and social media were major sources of information). Disappointed and graduating in the middle of a recession, I went back to school and earned a Master’s in Recreation and Leisure Studies (I also have a Master’s in Sport Management).
Feeling derailed from my dream, I moved back home after graduation where my mom lovingly demanded I get a job if I was going to live there (got to love our moms). She said teaching would be easy for me to get into until I figured out what I wanted to do. Reluctantly, I did it and I loved it! I began coaching for my high school which left me wanting to grow even more in that space. I then moved back to the Dallas area to teach and coach basketball, where I was also seen as a father figure, mentor, and leader to my students/athletes. Six years later, I still had a feeling of unfulfillment and decided to look further into being a sports agent. It turns out I met all the requirements to sit for the agent exam – a law degree was not needed. I immediately began to study for the exam and received my certification the following year.
During my journey to this point, I have been able to gain experience with brands such as the NFL, NBA, and CBS. I have also built priceless relationships while mentoring and learning all I can about athletes and business, and I am still learning. During my time as a teacher and coach, I was surrounded by amazing talent, and it motivated me to help athletes stay away from bad situations and help make their wildest dreams come true. These experiences turned out to be essential for the type of sports agent I am/wanted to be. My foundation is less transactional but built on more self-actualization. God has a funny way of working things out, right?
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I have to say the main obstacle/struggle was the fear of taking risks. My therapist and I talk all the time about maximizing potential and how can you do that without taking risks? I have adopted a mentality of “if it does not kill you then go for it.” That may sound extreme but it works. I also have an amazing support system that believe in my potential and push me to take calculated risks.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Marathon Sports Group provides representation services for professional and collegiate athletes in basketball, football, and baseball currently. Our services include contract negotiation, endorsement deals (professional and NIL), and overall business development. Our mission is to provide quality services and education to our clients, which will allow them to prosper on and off the court/field.
We are here to serve athletes who want representation or consultation during contract negotiations. We specialize in consulting athletes on understanding the CBA (Collective Bargaining Agreement), NIL (Name Image Likeness) structures, and identifying their worth within the market to partner with brands based on their character and principles. We believe in helping athletes maximize their potential and understand their true value as an asset to an organization.
What sets Marathon Sports Group apart is that we seek to empower athletes through educating them on all aspects of their negotiations, so they are able to be as involved as they want to be. We prioritize the individual as a whole, not just the athlete.
I am most proud of what my brand represents, which is to protect and empower athletes. Marathon Sports Group feels more like a family, and our logo rightfully resembles a shield.
Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
If there is a message, I can give to anyone out there, it is to never give up on your dreams. You may take one step forward and two steps back, but at some point, that one step forward will spring you into success. Keep going and embrace every emotion on your journey.
Contact Info:
- Email: kg@marathonsg.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/marathon_sg?utm_medium=copy_link
Image Credits
@huey_photos
