About Phil Evans
Phil Evans
Prior to founding ESMG, Evans spent five seasons as President of the NBA Development League (formerly known as the NBDL and NBA D-League, and currently known as the NBA G-League).
As President, Evans oversaw all D-League operations and reported directly to NBA Commissioner David Stern.
During Evans' tenure, the league grew from eight NBA owned-and-operated teams in the Southeast to 14 privately-owned teams spread throughout the Southwest, West and Midwest.
In fact, in just four years, Evans negotiated the sale of 17 NBA D-League expansion teams, including the first sale of a NBA D-League expansion team to an NBA team (the Los Angeles Lakers).
While he ran the league, Evans saw more than 150 players, coaches, referees, athletic trainers and front office personnel make the jump to the NBA.
Evans also played a role in developing an affiliation system for the D-League pursuant to which NBA D-League teams became directly affiliated with specific NBA teams beginning with the 2005-06 season. In two seasons with the new system, 30 NBA teams assigned 53 NBA players to their D-League affiliates on 80 occasions.
Most importantly, Evans transformed the NBA D-League from a money losing operation into a business, which ultimately generated an annual operating profit for the NBA, while increasing the visibility of the league through the development of a NBA D-League All-Star game held in February 2007 in conjunction with the NBA's All-Star festivities, and through increased television exposure. During the 2006-07 season, NBA TV aired 60 D-League games; up from 35 in 2005-06. NBA TV also aired This Week in the D-League, a bi-weekly program, which featured highlights, interviews and player features. In addition, beginning in February 2007, ESPN2 aired five half-hour D-League all-access specials.
From 2001-02, Evans served as the NBA D-League's Director of Legal and Business Affairs, where he drafted and negotiated contracts on behalf of the league and each of its teams, including arena licensing agreements, player/coach contracts and local sponsorship agreements.
Evans also developed the league's policies and procedures, and served as general counsel to Arena Ventures, the league's joint venture with Clear Channel Entertainment (now Live Nation).
Evans came to the NBA D-League before its inaugural season after serving three years in senior level positions with the Continental Basketball Association (CBA), most recently as Executive Vice President of Business and Legal Affairs.
While at the CBA, Evans oversaw the league's day-to-day operations, and supervised the league's legal, human resources, finance, marketing, communications and basketball operations departments.
Prior to his experience in professional basketball, Evans worked for International Family Entertainment, Inc. where he provided legal services to the marketing, advertising, sales and human resources divisions of the company's The Family Channel and FiT TV cable television networks.
He began his legal career in 1988 as an associate at Latham & Watkins.
Evans earned his Juris Doctorate from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1988 and a bachelor's degree in History and Economics from the University of Virginia in 1984.
Evans and his wife Tammy are the parents of four grown boys, twins Alex and Logan, Ryan and Henry, and the proud grandparents of Kennedy Greer. Alex is a practicing attorney who plays an active role at ESMG.