Athletes
Abroad
Summit
The Only Summit for American Athletes Competing Overseas.
Summit Overview
The Athletes Abroad Summit (AAS) is a conference built specifically for American professional athletes competing internationally. Every July during NBA Summer League, it brings a concentrated global sports audience to Las Vegas, including athletes, agents, executives, and brand professionals navigating the realities of a worldwide career.
Now entering its third year, AAS has become the definitive convening point for this community. Two days of programming cover global branding, wealth strategy, career transition, mental wellness, sports technology, and the legal landscape of playing overseas. The environment is intentionally curated as an environment where meaningful access is by design.
“We are the first and only curated space specifically for American athletes abroad and the global sports ecosystem. Every July during NBA Summer League, we bring a global audience to Las Vegas, and 2026 is our biggest platform yet.”
For Immediate Release
Athletes Abroad Summit Returns to Las Vegas July 8–9, 2026 at Bellagio During NBA Summer League
As thousands of American athletes build professional careers overseas, a critical gap has emerged in how they navigate global branding, finances, and life after sport. The Athletes Abroad Summit (AAS), the only conference dedicated to American athletes competing internationally, returns to Las Vegas July 8–9, 2026 at Bellagio Resort & Casino during NBA Summer League to address that need head-on.
Now in its third year, AAS has quickly established itself as a central gathering point for American athletes competing internationally, alongside the agents, executives, and industry leaders who support them. Over two days, the summit delivers programming across global branding, wealth strategy, career transition, mental wellness, sports technology, and the legal realities of playing overseas, giving attendees direct access to industry professionals and decision-makers. A full speaker lineup will be announced.
Co-founded by Dr. Tywanna Smith, a former professional basketball player, and Sonny Weems, an active professional basketball player with an international career, the summit was built from lived experience. Dr. Smith, Founder of The Athlete’s Nexus, has advised more than 60 athletes across the NBA, NFL, WNBA, and international leagues. Weems, a three-time Chinese Basketball Association champion and CEO of SonnyDayz Media, brings a global perspective shaped by years competing abroad and building ventures off the court.
“The Athletes Abroad Summit was created because American athletes playing professionally overseas deserve a dedicated space to build, connect, and learn,” said Dr. Smith. “We are the first and only curated space specifically for American athletes abroad and the global sports ecosystem. Every July during NBA Summer League, we bring a global audience to Las Vegas, and 2026 is our biggest platform yet. This summit fills an important gap for athletes competing abroad.”
Held during one of the most active weeks in basketball, the summit draws athletes from the NBA, WNBA, NFL, MLB, and beyond who have extended their careers internationally, making it a natural convening point for the global sports community in Las Vegas.
Register today: athletesabroadsummit.com.
Partnership inquiries: athletesabroadsummit.com/sponsors.
About the Athletes Abroad Summit
The Athletes Abroad Summit is the only conference curated specifically for American professional athletes who compete outside the United States. The summit’s mission is to provide business, career, and transition support through expert presentations, breakout sessions, and exclusive networking experiences with sports industry professionals and corporate partners. The Summit takes place annually in Las Vegas during NBA Summer League.
For more information, athletesabroadsummit.com
Media Contact
Danyail Lawton · BoldMoves™ Consulting LLC · +1 702-608-8771 · press@boldmovespr.com
Fact Sheet
| Event Name | Athletes Abroad Summit (AAS) |
| Dates | July 8–9, 2026 |
| Location | Bellagio Resort & Casino, Las Vegas, NV |
| Registration | athletesabroadsummit.com |
| Year | 3rd Annual |
| Mission | Equip American athletes playing overseas with the resources, relationships, and strategies needed to build sustainable careers during and after professional sports. |
| Who Attends | American professional athletes competing internationally; NBA, WNBA, NFL, MLB athletes with global careers; sports agents and player representatives; league and team executives; brand and business professionals within the sports industry |
| Programming | Global branding & athlete positioning · Wealth strategy & financial literacy · Career transition & life after sports · Mental wellness & performance · Sports technology & innovation · Legal considerations for international play |
| 2025 Highlights | 200+ attendees · 40+ speakers · 9 leagues represented · 20 sessions · 20+ vendors and sponsors · International Ambassador Awards presented by Nevada Consular Corps Dean Joe Campos and El Salvador Vice President |
| What Makes AAS Distinct | Sole conference centered on American athletes competing abroad · Curated, intimate environment · Timing aligned with NBA Summer League · Founder-led with direct international playing experience |
| Key Partner (2025) | SEI-Con |
| Partnerships | athletesabroadsummit.com/sponsors |
Founder Bios
Dr. Tywanna Smith is a former professional basketball player, author, and advisor who has worked with more than 60 athletes across the NBA, NFL, WNBA, and international leagues. As Founder of The Athlete’s Nexus, she built a platform dedicated to athlete development, career transition, and personal branding. Her experience competing professionally abroad informed a clear conviction: American athletes overseas had no dedicated space for strategy, connection, and long-term planning. AAS was built to fill that gap. Dr. Smith leads programming and serves as the connective tissue between athletes and industry professionals in the room.
Sonny Weems is a three-time Chinese Basketball Association champion and active professional basketball player whose career has spanned multiple countries and leagues. He channels that global perspective into SonnyDayz Media and the Weems World Foundation, building ventures that bridge sport, culture, and community. As Co-Founder of AAS, Weems brings firsthand credibility as someone who built a sustained career abroad without a roadmap. His experience competing internationally shaped a commitment to creating the resource he never had. His relationships across the global basketball ecosystem are central to the summit’s access, visibility, and reach.
Summit Photography
Images from the 2025 Athletes Abroad Summit.
Photo credit: Athletes Abroad Summit / 2025.
Why This Matters Now
Global sports mobility is accelerating faster than the systems evolving to support it, creating a growing need for expanded visibility, infrastructure, and long-term career pathways for athletes competing internationally. The Athletes Abroad Summit convenes leaders across sport, business, and culture to address and build within this evolving global landscape.
“The Athletes Abroad Summit is a crucial step in providing athletes with the knowledge and resources they need to succeed on the global stage.”
Media Angles
The Athletes Abroad Summit sits at the intersection of global sports, athlete empowerment, and international mobility, highlighting a rapidly growing community of professional athletes competing outside the United States and the evolving ecosystem surrounding their careers.
The Global Workforce in Modern Sports
Each year, thousands of American athletes compete professionally across leagues in basketball, soccer, volleyball, and other international sports markets. Together, they represent a global athlete workforce navigating cross-border contracts, taxation systems, cultural transitions, and brand development across multiple countries and leagues. The summit highlights their experiences within a broader conversation on globalization in sports.
The First Dedicated Ecosystem for Athletes Abroad
The Athletes Abroad Summit is the first curated convening dedicated specifically to American athletes competing internationally. It brings together athletes, executives, and industry leaders to strengthen visibility, expand professional development pathways, and support long-term career growth for athletes operating within global sports systems.
Sports as Global Diplomacy and Cultural Exchange
In 2025, Nevada Consular Corps Dean Joe Campos and the Vice President of El Salvador presented six global sports leaders with International Ambassador Awards at the summit, underscoring the growing role of sports as a platform for international diplomacy, cultural exchange, and cross-border collaboration.
Expanding Athlete Empowerment Beyond Traditional Systems
While NIL, financial literacy, and athlete wellness continue to shape U.S. sports conversations, a parallel global ecosystem is emerging, centered on athletes whose careers are built internationally and who engage with professional sports systems outside traditional domestic pathways.
The Business of Building a Global Athlete Brand
Athletes competing overseas must develop personal brands across international markets without consistent access to centralized U.S. media infrastructure. This environment creates both unique challenges and opportunities in sponsorship, audience development, and long-term financial strategy.
Evolving Pathways in Post-Career Transition
As the global sports ecosystem expands, so does the need for structured post-career pathways. Athletes competing abroad often navigate diverse international systems, highlighting the importance of expanded access to education, career development resources, and transition support across borders.
Media Contact
For media inquiries: Danyail Lawton, BoldMoves™ Consulting LLC. +1 702-608-8771 · press@boldmovespr.com · boldmovespr.com
Summit registration: athletesabroadsummit.com
Partnership information: athletesabroadsummit.com/sponsors