Image via Complex Original
If you've been following LeBron James' career over the course of the last few seasons—and in particular, this past season—then you've no doubt heard Rich Paul's name come up in conversations concerning the NBA superstar. Paul, who founded the Klutch Sports Group in 2012, is only 33. But he currently serves as LBJ's agent and played a big part in LeBron deciding to return to Cleveland this summer to play for the Cavaliers again.
Who is Rich Paul, though? That's the question that the New York Times just tried to answer by putting together a profile on LeBron's right-hand man. And they succeeded in answering that question by explaining how LeBron and Rich met, investigating the origin of their working relationship, and talking to Rich about LeBron's decision to return to the Cavs. Here are the 7 Things We Learned From the New York Times' Profile on LeBron James' Agent Rich Paul.
1. LeBron and Rich met at the Akron-Canton Airport when they were teenagers because of a Warren Moon throwback jersey.
The two teens didn't attend the same high school. But they did become friendly in high school thanks to a throwback jersey. Rich was selling throwbacks out of his car at the time and just so happened to be wearing a Warren Moon jersey on a flight down to Atlanta to purchase more jerseys. LeBron was on the same flight and asked Rich about his jersey and, from there, they became friends. "It was fate," Paul told the New York Times. "I could have missed the plane. I could have taken an earlier flight. I could have not worn the jersey. I could have been having a bad day and not spoken to him." He did wear the jersey and speak to LeBron, though, and that led to a friendship.
2. LeBron and Rich started traveling to Amateur Athletic Union tournaments together shortly after hitting it off at the airport.
Both LeBron and Rich played basketball in high school. But as we mentioned, they didn't go to the same high school, so Rich didn't actually play with LeBron. Rich did play on a team that won two state championships, though, and LeBron and Rich spent a lot of time together during AAU tournaments. According to the New York Times, they talked about everything from TV shows and girls to the struggles they faced growing up in single-parent households during those AAU trips.
3. Before graduating high school, Rich was making upwards of $15,000 every week selling throwback jerseys and planned on opening a throwback jersey store in Ohio…
Rich bought throwback jerseys for $160 from a businessman named Andy Hyman who lived in Atlanta and re-sold them in Ohio for $300. That helped him bring in thousands and thousands of dollars every week and, before long, Rich and Andy were planning on buying a store together.
4. …but Rich put off his plans of opening a throwback jersey store when LeBron told him he would pay him $50,000 every year to come and work for him after he was drafted by the Cavaliers in 2003.
Initially, Rich didn't have an official job title with LeBron. In fact, he didn't really have an official job that he was in charge of doing. "He told me that he really didn't have a job for me," Rich told the New York Times, "but that he wanted me close and we'd figure it out." Before long, LeBron also hired his two childhood friends Maverick Carter and Randy Mims and the four started calling themselves the "Four Horsemen."
5. Rich's early work with LeBron included styling him and helping him rehearse for Nike commercials.
Rich helped pick out LeBron's clothes before games and made suggestions for his commercials. He also took quite a few meetings during LeBron's first few years in the league with businessmen like Warren Buffett and David Geffen to try and learn the ins and outs of the business world. "I was a sponge," he told the New York Times. "I just tuned in whenever we had these meetings. LeBron had no obligation to me. I was not entitled to anything. I wanted to be valuable."
6. Rich decided that he wanted to become LeBron's agent in 2006 when the "Four Horsemen" started the L.R.M.R. Management Company.
In 2006, LeBron fired his agent Aaron Goodwin and hired a new agent Leon Rose. Rich went to work with Rose and, in addition to learning more about what it would take for him to be an NBA agent, Rich also helped recruit guys like Tristan Thompson, Eric Bledsoe, and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist for Rose and eventually formed his own company Klutch Sports Group in 2012. It was at that point that LeBron decided to make Rich his agent.
7. Rich's relationship with the Cavaliers—both before and, more importantly, after LeBron left Cleveland for Miami—played a big role in LeBron's return to the team this summer.
Even though LeBron left Cleveland in 2010 after The Decision aired on ESPN, Rich maintained contact with the Cavaliers and was in constant communication with the team's front office. So when LeBron decided that he might be interested in making a move back to Cleveland this summer, Rich was able to facilitate it and make the process of re-introducing LeBron to Cleveland run smoothly. It's why Rich continues to play a big part in LeBron's career.