William Sydney Wesley (born August 14, 1964) is the Executive Vice President – Senior Basketball Advisor for the New York Knicks. He is a former American consultant for Creative Artists Agency. Known as "World Wide Wes" or simply "Wes," Wesley is noted for his relationships with numerous high-profile NBA players and team owners, college basketball head coaches and their agents. Considered by many observers within the industry as a power broker and one of the most influential men in the business side of basketball, he forged those strong ties without being associated with any business entity.[1]
| New York Knicks | |
|---|---|
| Position | Executive Vice President – Senior Basketball Advisor |
| Personal information | |
| Born | August 14, 1964 Camden, New Jersey, U.S. |
He has been associated with many of the league's most prominent players, including Richard Hamilton, and Allen Iverson. Wesley is a longtime client of Iverson and LeBron James's agent, the Philadelphia attorney Leon Rose.[2] One of hip hop's biggest contemporary artists, Drake, gives Wesley a shout out on his popular diss track Back to Back, stating "I learned the game from William Wesley, you could never check me," (the first verse in the song) exposing Wesley to a new audience.[3] Wes was also referenced in Jay-Z's verse in the song Pound Cake / Paris Morton Music 2.[4] Shaquille O'Neal references Wesley in his song "LaVar Ball Diss Track".[5]
Early years
editWesley was born in Camden, New Jersey. He played high school basketball for Pennsauken High School in Pennsauken Township, New Jersey. Playing for rival Camden High School was Milt Wagner, who later went on to the University of Louisville and the NBA. Wagner claims[6] that Wesley became his friend and confidant during high school, and that he introduced Wesley to Michael Jordan, among other pro basketball luminaries.
Around the same time, Leon Rose played basketball for nearby Cherry Hill High School East in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. In 2005 Rose acknowledged having been Wesley's attorney "for 21 years."[6]
In the early 1980s, Wesley worked as a salesperson at Pro Shoes Inc., an elite sneaker company, specializing in high-end basketball shoes, across the street from the Cherry Hill Mall.[7]
Involvement with current players and coaches
editWesley is involved with The Family, a Detroit-area youth basketball team supported by former Detroit Pistons guard Richard Hamilton,[8] and counts among his closest friends Hamilton, Iverson, and Dajuan Wagner,[8] the son of Milt Wagner and a first-round pick in the 2002 NBA draft. All are clients of Rose.
Wesley was also very visible in the months leading up to LeBron James' defection from agent Aaron Goodwin.[8] Goodwin, who signed James out of high school, had helped him earn a lucrative contract with Nike. James signed with Rose during the summer of 2005.
While head coach at Memphis John Calipari stated, "Wes is a goodwill ambassador to our program.”[9] After Kentucky claimed the title over Kansas, Kentucky Wildcats star Anthony Davis and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist climbed into the stands and shared a celebratory hug with Wesley, who was sitting in the Kentucky family section inside the Superdome.[10]
On May 20, 2010 on Mike and Mike in the Morning, Jalen Rose told Mike and Mike that he coined Wesley's nickname "World Wide Wes".[11][12]
On June 24, 2020 the New York Knicks announced they had hired Wesley as their new Executive Vice President.[13]
Personal life
editWesley has one daughter named, Wynn.[14]
References
edit- ^ Thamel, Pete (2010-08-02). "Agency Role Could Limit Basketball Broker's Power". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-10-16.
- ^ French, Alex (August 2007). "IS THIS THE MOST POWERFUL MAN IN SPORTS". GQ. Retrieved 2007-07-15.
- ^ Diaz, Angel. "The Best Rap Verse of the Month". Complex. Retrieved 13 August 2015.
- ^ Rocher, Frantz. "Worldwide Wes - Every Pop Culture Reference on "Nothing Was the Same" - Complex". Complex. Retrieved 13 August 2015.
- ^ "LaVar Ball Diss Track Lyrics". Genius.com. Retrieved September 25, 2017.
- ^ a b Girard, Fred (May 29, 2005). "Who is basketball mystery man Wes Wesley?". Detroit News. Retrieved 2006-01-20.
- ^ "William Wesley in the spotlight". ESPN.com. 22 June 2010. Retrieved 13 August 2015.
- ^ a b c Windhorst, Brian (June 5, 2005). "Mystery man behind scenes". Akron Beacon Journal. Archived from the original on February 10, 2006. Retrieved 2006-01-20.
- ^ Alex French (July 1, 2007), Is This the Most Powerful Man in Sports?, Condé Nast, retrieved April 6, 2015
- ^ John Canzano (April 2, 2012), No shocker, "Worldwide Wes" sitting over the shoulder of Kentucky's NCAA title run, The Oregonian, retrieved April 6, 2015
- ^ Anthony Schoettle (The Score) (May 21, 2010). "UK's Calipari shows IU what it has in Cream". Indianapolis Business Journal. Retrieved September 24, 2014.
- ^ John Rooke (March 30, 2013). "John Rooke - Thinking Out Loud". Go Local Prov. Retrieved September 24, 2014.
- ^ "The Knicks are a hiring a mysterious NBA power broker who was once described as 'the most powerful man in sports'".
- ^ "John Calipari". Twitter. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
External links
edit- TrueHoop.com William Wesley Section - A collection of theories & articles about William Wesley hosted on TrueHoop.
- 2001 New York Times Magazine Article - Feature on Dajuan Wagner that also prominently mentions Wesley.
- 2007 GQ Article - Comprehensive exposé on WorldWide Wes
- 2008 New York Times Article On Wesley