Shot Taker

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Tim Garrett’s niche sports agency, which sends young basketball players to Europe, was sidelined five years ago when he had a debilitating stroke. Garrett’s recovered to the point where he started it up again a few months ago.

“I had to go through years of physical, speech and occupational therapy,” said the 6-foot-8-inch principal of Redondo Beach-based Gateway to Europe Basketball. He’s not 100 percent Garrett still walks with a limp and has to speak slowly but he’s getting there.

But in the last five years there have been big changes in the arena where he works.

For one thing, salaries in Europe have gotten so high that National Basketball Association-caliber American players now are lured there. For example, Josh Childress, who grew up in Southern California, left the NBA to sign a three-year deal with Euroleague Olympiacos worth $20 million, far more than he was offered by the Atlanta Hawks.

For another, the NBA two years ago raised the minimum age of incoming players to 19. That was designed to encourage young players to go to college and play there for at least a year. However, some top recruits may instead decide to play in Europe for a year.

“My clients want to play basketball and earn a living,” said Garrett, who’s handling contracts for 10 players. “Sometimes young players can make more money playing professionally in Europe than they would in the minor leagues here.”

Garrett played minor league basketball in 1985 for teams in Albuquerque, N.M., and Toronto, then headed for Europe, where he became a standout. One season in Spain, he led the entire continent in scoring at 34 points per game.

“I loved the idea of being able to travel and see the world while playing a game that I love,” said Garrett. “I want to help young kids have the same opportunities to experience other cultures.”

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