'Unassuming' ex-tennis pro hooks up NBA players with hot rides

When Detroit Pistons guard Chauncey Billups recently began shopping for a tough-to-find Range Rover Autobiography SUV with red interior, the five-time NBA All-Star did what more than 100 other NBA players have done: He called Conor Delaney.Delaney, a lanky, 32-year-old London native and former tennis pro, has become the go-to source for connecting NBA players with exotic rides. His clientele is a spendy bunch: They favor Rolls-Royce, Aston Martin, Bentley and other ultraluxury brands. Some buy a dozen cars a year. Only a few don't have a Cadillac Escalade in their garage.Less a broker than an exotic-car consultant, Delaney has carved his niche by offering low-key but diligent advice on transactions that routinely top $250,000. Before he tackles the logistics of negotiating, financing and shipping, most clients simply want advice. How does Porsche compare to Ferrari? Which models are hot? What's coming out this spring?He works directly with most athletes, rather than their handlers, through his constantly buzzing BlackBerry. He could assemble an NBA All-Star roster from the contacts in his call history, but he declines to publicly name names, viewing his discretion about his client relationships as a key to success."Conor's got a lot of very big celebrity athletes who trust him and rely on his advice," says Billups, who estimates that he's bought 10 to 15 vehicles from Delaney since becoming one of his first clients.It was Billups — a 16-year NBA veteran who has played for seven franchises and is known to have a wide network of friends throughout the league — who helped Delaney connect with players early on. Delaney now counts most of the Pistons' 15-player roster among his clients, including guards Brandon Jennings and Will Bynum.

'Unassuming' ex-tennis pro hooks up NBA players with hot rides

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