With Jimmy Butler’s bombshell announcement about how his time in Miami may be coming to an end, nobody has been under more scrutiny than his agent, Bernard Lee, better known as Bernie Lee. Lee went viral online over Christmas, after his response to Shams Charania’s claims on Butler demanding a trade. Over a series of three tweets, Lee attacked Charania’s sources, credibility, and character. Lee has found himself on the wrong side of NBA fans online.
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Since his back and forth with the ESPN insider, fans have been curious as to who exactly is Bernie Lee.
Bernie Lee: A Brief Introduction
Now 47, Lee has been working as an agent to top NBA stars for almost 20 years, getting his first big break in 2005. The Toronto native has always been in and around the world of basketball, both as a player and a coach, but after not getting any real opportunities as either, he pivoted to management.
He is the founder and president of Thread Sports Management, an agency that boasts top clients like Butler, Ben Simmons, and Los Angeles Sparks star Kia Nurse.
Of course, being a native of the Great White North, Lee got his big break working under former coach Howard Garfinkle, while working at his famous Five-Star Basketball Camp. After his hoop dreams fell through due to his undersized stature, it was coach Garfinkle who referred him to Kevin O’Neal, who was the coach of the Raptors at the time, where Lee tried getting his first coaching job.
How Vince Carter launched Bernie’s career
Given where he is right now, it’s obvious that Lee’s foray into professional coaching wasn’t a successful one. After a mixup with O’Neal concerning a phone call and an ‘inability to follow instructions’, his coaching career came to a harsh and very early end.
However, since he was in Toronto, he tried his hand at getting a coaching job at Vince Carter’s basketball camp. It worked way better than anyone would’ve expected, and he was soon put in touch with Carter’s own agent, Merle Scott. He was offered an internship, and he accepted it with open arms.
The allure of being an agent was high, but the pay was low. Bernie made just $12,000 in his first year working as an agent.
Bernie Lee’s first client
Of course, it’s impossible to start an agency with top talent. Lee’s case was no exception. Way before he had world-beaters like Butler and Simmons on his roster, he had to make a name for himself, and his first client helped him do just that.
The Raptors acquired Mike James in 2005, and Lee knew him from the time he’d spent in Long Island. Knowing the agent business is all about relationships, he called James and offered to help him get used to Toronto. Lee worked with James’ agent and helped him have a career year with the Raptors. A year later, after James secured himself a $24 million deal with the Timberwolves, Lee became his sole representative after that.
James also helped Lee get into business with John Lucas III, who ended up being instrumental in landing Lee’s biggest client – Jimmy Butler.
How did Lee meet Jimmy Butler?
Both James and Lucas were a part of the 2011-12 Bulls, courtesy deals that Lee orchestrated, and that’s when the agent met Butler, who was a rookie. After being selected 30th in the Draft, Butler wasn’t getting the playing time he was expecting, and he was looking for a change in representation.
“Bernie was always around and he always treated me as a regular human being even though I wasn’t that good of a player back then,” Butler said. “He always spoke to me and made sure I was OK. And when I made a change in my agency, I was talking to John and talking to Mike — I really respect those guys and they’re still really good friends of mine — and they said, ‘You know what, what about Bernie?’ [Bernie] was always so cool. He understood everything,” remembered Butler. “He wanted his players to be great, but he wanted them to be happy so whenever I made that change, it was easy for me.”
The two have been in business since the 2016-17 season, and Lee’s skills have been instrumental in his client getting paid some serious money, with estimates claiming the Heat’s wantaway star is the 14th highest-paid player in the league right now.
