Malcolm Brogdon is officially returning to the Virginia Cavaliers men’s basketball program but this time, in a professional capacity. On Tuesday, the Virginia Cavaliers announced that the Virginia alumnus would be returning to serve as Strategic Advisor, a newly created position.
In the statement, head coach Ryan Odom said Brogdon will bring “a wealth of knowledge, leadership and expertise from his successful nine-year NBA career and All-American career at Virginia.”
Brogdon, who led Virginia to their first ACC Tournament Championship in 38 years, recently retired from the NBA after nine seasons. After his historic college career, he immediately made a name for himself in the NBA as the 2017 Rookie of the Year.
Before the announcement (and seemingly before the job offer) Brogdon, on March 4, made an appearance on Carla Williams’ podcast, Inside Virginia Athletics with Carla Williams. The discussion focused on the current state of college sports, especially compared to Brogdon’s experience. While there’s no telling if his analytical back-and-forth with Williams played a role in securing the new role, the conversation was certainly insightful. Of course, “the president,” as his Virginia teammates fondly called him, is known for his wisdom.
“Clearly I think one of the biggest benefits is guys are getting paid,” Brogdon said on the podcast. “But at the same time, I think it’s a double-edged sword.”
While Brogdon felt he could pick a university that provided him a top education and player experience, he believes the education is a smaller factor when recruits are also comparing pay. This is especially true, he notes, for players coming from a lower socioeconomic status and who would otherwise rely on an athletic scholarship to fund their education.
“It’s hard to say that … everybody should go get the best education when money is a factor,” Brogdon said. “These guys are making choices that I didn’t have to make when I was in college.”
When reflecting on the transfer portal, he noted his five years at Virginia gave him the development opportunity and preparation for the pros. While Brogdon doesn’t blame the young players for moving around, he thinks they’re missing the chance to establish themselves and create a legacy.
Their conversation got more technical when it turned to the discussion on student athletes being classified as employees. Both Brogdon and Williams noted that it’s a hard debate to settle. However, Williams noted that the University can fire employees easier than it can pull an athletic scholarship – which would put student athletes in a position with fewer protections. Brogdon followed up to confirm that when signing contracts, the students’ pay is guaranteed under certain standards, making the classification even muddier.
Most college contracts, Williams added, are re-newed annually, which Brogdon likened to the signing of one-year NBA deals, which carries an emotional weight for players beyond the court.
“It’s annual free agency,” Williams added.
And, Brogdon knows something about that life. He played on five different teams throughout his nine years in the NBA. In his last three years, he went from the Boston Celtics, to the Portland Trailblazers, to the Washington Wizards.
He said the mental health impact of the business side of basketball is real and “ruins a lot of guys’ careers.”
“When you come up in basketball, they say the game is 90 percent mental and 10 percent physical. That holds to be true at the NBA level.”
Now, it’s becoming a reality at the college level.
While the details of Brogdon’s role have yet to be clarified, his perspective and experience is expected to help the staff navigate the largely unchartered waters of today’s college landscape.
