Another broker leaves Town, takes NBA clients with him

Andrew Azoulay has $70M in listings -- and close ties with the Brooklyn Nets

From left: Andrew Azoulay, Jason Kidd and Paul Pierce
From left: Andrew Azoulay, Jason Kidd and Paul Pierce

Douglas Elliman scored a slam dunk this week when it lured a broker away from rival Town Residential who has more than $70 million in listings and a roster of clients that includes NBA stars Jason Kidd, Paul Pierce and Richard Jefferson.

Andrew Azoulay, who worked out of Town’s West Village office, left the company Monday with more than $70 million in listings, including a co-exclusive with Louise Phillips Forbes at Halstead Property for a $42 million penthouse at 1965 Broadway in Lincoln Square.

Azoulay joined Town two years ago after a 20-year career in the fashion industry and closed his first deal when he sold former New Jersey Nets star Richard Jefferson’s 3,584-square-foot condo at 169 Hudson Street for $5 million.

“I know a lot of people from the Nets organization,” said Azoulay, who represented former Nets coach Jason Kidd when he bought a $4.3 million condo at 60 Riverside Boulevard. Azoulay also repped Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett when they relocated to the city following a trade between the Nets and the Boston Celtics in 2013.

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The hire is the most recent coup in Elliman’s ongoing battle with Town, which recently underwent a change in leadership when Andrew Heiberger returned to the company earlier this month and president Jeff Appel was ousted.

Azoulay said the main reason he made the switch was the appeal of Elliman’s platform, which the company recently bolstered with an international affiliate-agreement with UK-based Knight Frank Residential. He did acknowledge that Town’s troubles were also a factor.

“There are always distractions. They were maybe a little bit greater there,” he said.

When reached for comment a Town spokesperson said, “We’re saddened by Andrew’s departure.”