Project REAP launches 3P initiative to equip pro. athletes for CRE success
Manhattan, NY Project REAP, the nation’s platform for developing underrepresented talent in commercial real estate, has launched a strategic initiative, Pro Players Property (3P), an initiative designed to empower current and retired professional athletes from the NBA, NFL, and WNBA to become commercial real estate investors, developers, and decision-makers.
The 3P program builds on the success of REAP’s Academy model and is tailored to meet the wealth-building and career-transition needs of athletes. The initiative combines hands-on mentorship from industry leaders with training on real estate development, finance, and ownership.
The average professional athletic career lasts fewer than five years, yet many athletes face financial instability within just a few years of retirement. According to previous studies:
• Nearly 60% of former NBA players are broke within five years of leaving the league [1]
• 78% of NFL players experience financial stress within two years of retirement [1]
• 15.7% of NFL players file for bankruptcy within 12 years of leaving the field [2].
3P addresses this crisis by turning short-term stardom into long-term stability.
The 3P Steering Committee includes influential leaders in sports, commercial real estate, and wealth development:
• Taneshia Nash Laird, executive director, Project REAP;
• Mike Kercheval, chair, Project REAP board; former president and CEO, International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC); former executive director, CU Real Estate Center (CUREC), University of Colorado;
• Erica-Nicole Harris, real estate development & asset management leader; vice chair, Project REAP;
• Steve Jordan, retired NFL Pro Bowl player; civil engineer and LEED-certified construction management executive;
• London Kemp Boykin, director, global sustainable development & North America real estate, Amazon; REAP alumna & board member.
• Jono Lapat, senior vice president & managing principal, SRS Real Estate Partners;
• George Lynch, retired NBA player; senior business development officer, MAI Capital Management; co-founder, HBCU Heroes;
• David Mosley, co-founder & CEO, 413 Solutions Energy + Development; managing director, E. Smith Legacy Advisors;
• G. Lamont Blackstone, principal, G.L. Blackstone & Associates; former chair and interim executive director, Project REAP.
“At the intersection of athletic excellence and real estate opportunity lies 3P,” said Taneshia Nash Laird, executive director of Project REAP. “Our goal is to equip athletes with the tools and relationships to build legacy wealth, transform communities, and lead within one of the most powerful wealth-building industries in America.”
“As a former NFL player who went on to a career in construction management and CRE, I’ve seen firsthand the benefits and losses people experience through real estate,” said Steve Jordan, retired NFL player and commercial real estate professional. “With the right education, athletes are uniquely positioned to make generational impacts for their families and the communities they care about. 3P is a game-changer.”
“As an urban redevelopment professional, I have witnessed the marriage of professional sports with the commercial real estate (CRE) sector. That has ranged from attracting one of the early Magic Johnson/Starbucks outlets to my former shopping center project in San Diego to the more recent phenomenon of sports arena development as anchors for downtown mixed-use projects. And, when provided adequate training and connections, professional athletes have the human capital that can equip them for CRE success,” said G. Lamont Blackstone, principal of G.L. Blackstone & Associates LLC.
David Mosley, managing director at E. Smith Legacy Advisors, said, “I joined the 3P Steering Committee because I believe in REAP’s mission to create meaningful pathways for diverse professionals in commercial real estate. Collaborating with leaders to drive inclusive innovation is both a responsibility and a privilege.”
With the official cohort launching in 2026, the 3P will feature three two-week intensive courses held throughout the year, tailored to accommodate the demanding, seasonal schedules of active athletes. Several sponsors of Project REAP’s legacy Academy program have already committed to supporting 3P as the organization pilots this innovative program.