Jason Glushon

The same mentality Jason Glushon 07BBA carries into negotiations at the bargaining table was with him on the mound. It’s an underdog mentality the former All-American pitcher uses to help many other athletes achieve their dream.

Glushon is considered a rising star among agents working in the National Basketball Association thanks in no small part to his experience as a college athlete and student at Goizueta Business School. Glushon, 33, has started his own agency and recently negotiated maximum salary contracts for Al Horford and Jrue Holiday — each more than $100 million.

“It’s a good start,” he said. “Not many people can leave a large agency to start a new company at my age. I’m very lucky that all of my clients are not only really good players, but better people from amazing families.”

Glushon, of course, is still an underdog. The league is dominated by large, powerful firms.

Yet he stands out.

“I take that same mentality that I did when I was pitching against top draft prospects and top major league prospects now that I’m recruiting these exceptional athletes,” he said. “In our business, it’s extremely competitive and extremely difficult but, if you work hard, have an optimistic mentality and do things with high character and integrity, you have a chance to have a promising career.”

Glushon graduated from Goizueta with a double major in operations management and decision information analysis. He later earned a law degree from Loyola Law School in Los Angeles. After his baseball career ended, he joined Los Angeles-based Wasserman.

He’s had plenty of mentors along the way, but he credits Emory baseball coach Mike Twardoski for instilling a focus on values and that “the small things” can add up to success. Twardoski, meanwhile, said he saw how Glushon would be successful during their time together at Emory.

“He was a great player, but he was someone who always knew how to keep the team together,” the coach said. “They were a family in large part thanks to him. Even today, he is the one that initiates alumni participation.”

A one-time farmhand in the Oakland Athletics organization, Glushon said much of his mentality from pitching can also apply to working as an agent.

“I’ve always been an extremely competitive person no matter what the challenge,” he said. “Now the competition continues as a company as we move forward. The key is running a busy agency the right way and staying true to our principles. I am very lucky to love what I do every day and can’t wait to see what the future holds.”