#697: Rich Paul — The Power Broker and Superstar Agent Behind LeBron James, Draymond Green, and Others

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Rich Paul (@RichPaul4) is the CEO and founder of KLUTCH Sports Group, the powerhouse agency representing some of the biggest athletes across major professional sports. Paul founded KLUTCH Sports in 2012 in his hometown of Cleveland, Ohio, where he forged a unique and personal approach to representing top NBA talent—putting athletes first and empowering them to build careers and brands on and off the court.

In 2019, KLUTCH Sports partnered with United Talent Agency (UTA). Paul serves as UTA’s Head of Sports and is an agency partner, and he was appointed to UTA’s board of directors in 2020. In 2019, Paul was named GQ’s “Power Broker of the Year” and dubbed “The King Maker” on the cover of Sports Illustrated. In 2021, TIME recognized KLUTCH Sports on its first-ever list of TIME100 Most Influential Companies, and Variety recently named Paul to their “Variety500” list of the most influential business leaders shaping the global media industry. Paul is also credited with driving the reversal of the so-called “Rich Paul Rule,” which would have banned agents without a college degree from representing NCAA student athletes.

In 2021, Paul and three former Nike executives formed a company called ADOPT, a creative agency focused on sport, wellness, nutrition, tech, and other consumer-facing products. In 2022, Paul joined the board of trustees of LACMA and the boards of directors of Funko and Designer Brands Inc. In 2023, he joined the board of directors of Live Nation. Paul is also a minority partner of the SpringHill Company.

His new book is Lucky Me: A Memoir of Changing the Odds.

Please enjoy!

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[08:04] The store where Rich's story began.

[10:30] The cover choice for Rich's memoir, Lucky Me.

[11:43] How Rich negotiated a lucrative free agency period.

[17:16] Street gambling as a youth.

[19:35] Good advice for avoiding bad deals.

[21:26] Meeting and creating an enduring relationship with LeBron James.

[22:48] The influence of James Baldwin.

[24:53] Rich's experience with higher education and thoughts on the so-called "Rich Paul rule."

[28:01] Best investments of time, energy, or money.

[30:25] How Rich beat out bigger competition to land clients.

[33:56] Helping aspiring pros establish the infrastructure they need to succeed.

[37:52] Key ingredients for emotional support and stability.

[39:54] Driving home the importance of preparing for a career's rainy days.

[42:42] LeBron James' ego.

[45:21] Why is Rich's book titled Lucky Me?

[47:04] When the entrepreneurial impulse leads to darkness.

[50:02] The Ernie Barnes piece in Rich's collection.

[51:12] Player empowerment.

[53:15] Rich's most influential confidence builders.

[55:28] What prompted Rich to write Lucky Me?

[59:02] Rich's billboard.

[59:58] Parting thoughts.

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