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Washington Wizards fans adore Justin Champagnie for his gritty effort and impressive rebounding. They’ve also gotten to know Alondes Williams, Kadary Richmond and Skal Labissiere — three players who grinded their way to the NBA and signed with Washington this season.
The one thing all four of those players have in common: They’re represented by Daniel Hazan of Hazan Sports Management. And like his clients, Hazan understands the grind it takes to find success at the NBA level.
Hazan didn’t start with eight NBA players on his client list. Just like he didn’t stumble upon a successful sports agency.
He built his brand through hard work and a New York grit that helped create meaningful relationships with players and general managers alike. That grind made him the youngest agent to sign an NBA player, which was a defining moment in his young career.
“I signed my first NBA player [Elijah Millsap] when I was 20. I’ve built a name for myself by being able to get the borderline guys in the NBA — the two-ways and the 10 days and the G League guys,” Hazan said. “Being able to get those guys to the next level, that’s kind of been my reputation as an agency. Every time players are trying to get back in the NBA, they know they can talk to me and I’ll get it done.”
That persistence led him to Champagnie, another New York native who at the time had played just 41 NBA games — 39 with the Toronto Raptors and two with the Boston Celtics.
Hazan knew Champagnie was an impressive player. He knew the Pitt product had the intangibles of a winning NBA player.
So he got to work. And just three days after the partnership formed, Champagnie signed a 10-day contract with the Wizards, which sparked a year-long surge that led to the 6-foot-6 forward signing a four-year, $9.8 million contract extension in March 2025.
It was a defining moment for Hazan, who had just gotten his client paid major money, and for Champagnie, an undrafted free agent who had grinded his way into an NBA rotation and eventually into a multi-million-dollar contract.
“I just felt a sense of relief,” Champagnie said. “It brought tears to my eyes because I’ve worked hard for the past four years to solidify myself in this league, and having that moment come true was a big sigh of relief. [It] just felt amazing.”
Champagnie has only ascended since signing his contract extension. The 24-year-old has been one of Washington’s most consistent contributors, averaging 7.9 points and 5.6 rebounds in just 19 minutes per game this season.
Hazan said “four or five teams” contacted the Wizards at February’s trade deadline with interest in Champagnie, but Washington wasn’t willing to let him go. And it’s easy to understand why.
Champagnie’s archetype is one contending teams covet. He fights for loose balls like Marcus Smart. He rebounds on both ends like a 6-foot-6 Andre Drummond. And he plays both ways, defending one through four while scoring nearly eight points per game on 49.8% FG.
His path to the league wasn’t the most linear, but he had earned a standard NBA contract. And Hazan couldn’t have been prouder.
“It was a great moment. [Justin] is such a great guy. He’s such a hard worker. I was happy to be a part of that with him,” Hazan said. “He’s put in the hard work, and he earned every bit of that. And he’s still young. We got time for a couple more contracts, bigger ones, God willing.”
Champagnie’s New York ties aligned him with Hazan, but he isn’t the only native New Yorker signed to Hazan Sports Management. Kadary Richmond, a Brooklyn native, is also represented by Hazan.
Champagnie and Richmond grew up together in Brooklyn. They’ve been friends since middle school and even played against each other in high school — Chamagnie at Bishop Loughlin and Richmond at South Shore.
After a five-year collegiate career at Syracuse, Seton Hall and St. John’s, Richmond went undrafted. The 6-foot-5 guard had “several suitors,” but after phone calls with Wizards general manager Will Dawkins and Champagnie, Richmond set his sights on Washington.
“Will got on the phone and said, ‘You see what I did with Justin. We’re gonna do the same thing with Kadary.’ And I went with him, and I think it’s paid off,” Hazan said.
Champagnie attended Richmond’s pre-draft workout with the Wizards and advocated for him to join the organization. The veteran forward told Richmond that Washington was the best spot for his development, and the rookie guard used that advice when he signed a G League deal with the Wizards before later inking a 10-day contract in February.
“I just told [Richmond] to take advantage and keep your foot on the gas,” Champagnie said. “No matter how it looks around you, make sure you take advantage of your opportunity, because coming from where we come from, people don’t get to decide how much this means.”
Champagnie and Richmond’s relationship transcends basketball, but they’re not the only close friends represented by Hazan. That title also belongs to Williams and Labissiere, who spent July on the Orlando Magic’s Summer League squad.
Labissiere, 29, was selected No. 28 in the 2016 NBA Draft. After four NBA seasons, the 6-foot-10 forward was out of the league.
But Labissiere kept working. And after signing with Hazan, he earned his way back into the NBA, ending his four-year hiatus when he signed with the Sacramento Kings.
Labissiere joined the Go-Go before the 2025-26 campaign and earned a 10-day contract, his best game a 13-point showing in Washington’s 116-112 victory over the Kings. His friend and offseason workout partner, Williams, later joined him on a 10-day deal with Washington.
Weeks after Labissiere’s breakout performance, Williams scored 25 points on 9-for-11 FG in the Wizards’ 131-118 win over the Indiana Pacers. Both players had grinded their way to the NBA, so it was only right that they shared breakout performances on the same roster in the same season.
“It felt amazing to finally be back on an NBA court and show everyone what I’ve been working on all summer,” Williams said. “[Skal and I] built chemistry by being with each other all summer. Playing with each other and playing against each other built chemistry, and I value that knowing the player Skal is. It boosted my skills as a point guard.”
Hazan’s reaction to those scoring outputs was that of an unsurprised agent who had seen firsthand the grind and sacrifice his clients made to reach the highest level of professional basketball. And with four clients succeeding in Washington, those close relationships, combined with an unrelenting drive to be great, have paid dividends.
“They’re working on their own things, but they’re all working together,” Hazan said. “It’s galvanized everyone. And now you see them all together [in Washington]. It’s really an amazing thing.”