List of NBPA Licensees - National Basketball Players Association Licensees

Greeting folks!

This note is written by Scott Sillcox in fall 2023 in response to a lot of readers asking me two questions:

A. You wrote and posted many of your blog postings several years ago, is the info still relevant today? Short answer - absolutely! The basics of sports licensing change very little over the years, so I strongly suggest that if you are trying to learn about sports licensing, read away! I have also tried to update certain areas where there have been significant changes, so I feel comfortable in telling you that this information is still highly relevant.

B. You mention that you are a consultant and might be able to help me, do you still do consulting? Short answer - absolutely! I work in the licensing field virtually every day of my life, so if you have questions or would like my help, contact me! The two primary ways I work are hourly telephone consulting ($175US/hour) and face-to-face meetings where I come right to your office for a full day ($1500US/day + $650 travel expenses).

Many thanks and happy reading -
Scott Sillcox

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If you have been looking for a list of NBPA (National Basketball Players Association) licensees, you've come to the right place!

The thing is, until 2018 this would have been a trick question because unlike the NFL or MLB or NHL, when someone became an NBA licensee, they automatically became a NBPA licensee. It was a very efficient way of handling things - good old fashioned "one-stop-shopping".

But in 2018, the NBA and NBPA decided to split their licensing exactly the same way the NFL and NFLPA, MLB and MLBPA, NHL and NHLPA handle things - dual licensing.

Now that 5_ years of NBPA licensing have passed, my database of licensees at LicensedSports.net  is largely up to date.

Interestingly, the NBPA has a unique name for their licensing company - Think450. The 450 refers to the number of current NBA players at any given point in time (30 teams x 15 players per team = 450).

Here's what the NBPA's licensing website says in 2023:

"Think450 is the NBPA's licensing and business development entity wholly owned by its members. Think450 restores NBPA members' control over their name, likened, data and intellectual property."

Note: "Restores" refers to the 2018-ish change from allowing the NBA to control players' licensing rights to the current split between the NBA and the NBPA.

One other suggestion for finding a list of NBPA licensees would be to contact the NBPA directly and try to wrestle a list of licensees out of them.

National Basketball Players Association
310 Lenox Avenue
New York, NY 10027
Phone:  (212) 655-0880
Toll Free:  (800) 955-6272
Fax:  (212) 655-0881

And if you are looking for a list of NBA licensees, look at this blog.


Many thanks!
Scott