BP: What brings you to Duke today?
Lee Melchionni: Any excuse to come back to a Duke is a great thing. I am back in the area to see the guys. I got to watch practice yesterday and I am going to the game tonight. Just to come back here to my roots and realize how much you miss this place is great.
BP: You are out in California working for WMG. What is your role there?
Lee: I am in the role of a young sports agent, the low man on the totem pole in the company. My role is to develop relationships with coaches and kids so that hopefully we can one day represent them. Basically, my day-to-day role is handling stuff for our clients, whether it is marketing, or appointments or things they need to do. Also, I help out in recruiting and in whatever way I can.
BP: That sounds awesome. Do you get to attend any interesting sports games and events, or is most of your time spent in the office?
Lee: I have been in the office a lot, but I get paid to go to games, meet people, travel the country, things I would do for free. Doing that provides a great opportunity to network and meet people. It is a great job overall.
BP: You live with Arn Tellem, one of the most highly-respected sports agents in the business. How did that come about and what is that like?
Lee: Well, that came about because I had gone out there to look for a place to live and I figured out that I was going to live with another guy in the office who was buying a place. He was in the process of looking for a place and had a bid in that fell through so Arn said I could stay with him until he found a place. It has taken a little longer than expected so I have been in Arn’s house. They have treated me like a son and an extension of their family, so it is has been nothing but great.
BP: Tell me something about Coach K and Duke Basketball that most people wouldn’t know.
Lee: For Coach K, most people wouldn’t know he is a phenomenal dancer. For Duke Basketball, the unbelievable amount of hard work and attention to detail that goes into the success of the program is something behind the scenes that people who watch all of the games on TV don’t get to see on a daily basis.
BP: Do you still follow the team and watch the games?
Lee: It is funny, being a former player I try to watch every single game that is on TV, check every box score, and still feel a part of it in some way.
BP: What do you think about this year’s team?
Lee: This year’s squad seems like an unbelievably cohesive unit, a true team. They are really fun to watch, their style of play. I think they are super athletic and have a chance to be very good.
