National — Project REAP, the nation’s leading platform for developing underrepresented talent in commercial real estate, proudly announces the launch of strategic iniativie, Pro Players Property (3P), a first-of-its-kind 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 nationally respected Academy model and is specifically tailored to meet the wealth-building and career-transition needs of athletes. The initiative combines hands-on mentorship from industry leaders with rigorous training on real estate development, finance, and ownership.
“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.”
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 & 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 Boykins, Director, Global Sustainable Development & North America Real Estate, Amazon; REAP Alumna & Board Member
Jonathan “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
“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 & 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,” says G. Lamont Blackstone, Principal of G.L, Blackstone & Associates LLC.
David Mosley, Managing Director at E Smith Legacy Advisors, added, “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.
For more information or partnership inquiries, visit team3p.org or contact development@projectreap.org.
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Project REAP (Real Estate Associate Program) was founded in 1997 by Mike Bush, then Vice President of Real Estate for Giant Food, to create new pathways into the commercial real estate industry for ambitious professionals seeking access to industry networks.
Launched in Washington, D.C. in 1998, the program quickly expanded to cities across the U.S.—including Atlanta, New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Dallas. Recognizing that success in this industry depends not only on expertise but also on relationships, REAP built a model focused on both technical training and insider connections.
Today, Project REAP is a national platform with over 2,000 alumni working at top firms throughout the commercial real estate sector. Our programs continue to deliver career-changing opportunities, while helping companies tap into motivated talent ready to make an immediate impact.