Top 5 NBA players represented by Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul
Rich Paul, CEO of KLUTCH sports group, is one of the most notable NBA agents in the association. Paul started his career in 2012 when he teamed up with Lebron James to set up Klutch Sports. The agency quickly grew to become one of the most popular agencies in the association.
Paul represents over thirty active NBA players. Lebron James is no doubt the most famous Klutch sports client. In addition, Klutch also represents some of the biggest names in the game. It would be difficult to talk about the business side of the NBA without mentioning Klutch.
Why do players like Draymond Green and Trae Young prefer to sign with Paul and Klutch? One of the major reasons is the negotiation skills of Paul. He has been able to negotiate contracts for his clients worth over $2 billion.
A notable case is securing a contract for an aging Draymond Green. Pundits were starting to call Green 'washed' and not worth another contract. Klutch Sports got the Golden State Warriors to give Green a four-year $100 million contract.
While Klutch Sports also represents players from other leagues like the NFL, we are only looking at top NBA players signed to the agency. Defining 'top' is always an uphill task when talking about basketball. How do you measure who are the top players?
We will use the player's popularity, lifetime earnings, and awards won to create our list. This is not a universally acknowledged list but the opinion of the author.
Top 5 elite clients of Rich Paul
#5 Zach Lavine
The Chicago Bulls star signed with Klutch Sports in 2021. Lavine entered free agency in 2022. Many NBA teams were interested in acquiring the high-flying star.
Klutch Sports negotiated a five-year max contract worth about $215 million. This agreement cut all rumors of Zach leaving the Bulls.
Zach Lavine has two All-Star appearances and a career average of 20.5 points, 4 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game.
#4 Draymond Green
Draymond Green signed with Klutch in 2019. "It was the right move for me," Green said.
Klutch Sports negotiated a $100 million contract for Green, contrary to the opinion of many pundits.
He is a four-time NBA champion, a four-time NBA All-Star, a two-time member of the All-NBA Team, and a two-time Olympic gold medalist.
#3 Trae Young
The mesmerizing guard became a Klutch sports client in 2020. Trae left the Octagon agency and shifted to the Rich Paul camp.
Trae Young signed a 5-year $215,159,700 contract with the Atlanta Hawks, including $215,159,700 guaranteed and an annual average salary of $43,031,940. He is one of Klutch Sport's top clients.
Trae Young is a two-time all-star, averaging 27 points and 9.9 assists in the 2022-2023 season. The 24-year-old Young was an All-Star starter in 2020 and 2022.
#2 Anthony Davis
AD joined Klutch Sports in 1990. Rich Paul was instrumental in negotiating the blockbuster AD trade from the New Orleans Pelicans to the LA Lakers.
Davis agreed to a three-year, $186 million maximum contract extension, tying him to the Lakers franchise through 2028.
AD is an 8× NBA All-Star (2014–2021), 2× NBA All-Defensive First Team (2018, 2020), 2× NBA All-Defensive Second Team (2015, 2017) and 3× NBA blocks leader (2014, 2015, 2018).
#1 Lebron James
The most popular NBA player on the planet, LBJ tops our list. His accolades speak for themselves. Klutch Sports has been representing Lebron since its inception. He is a co-founder of the sports company and a long-time friend of Rich Paul.
Lebron James has signed six hefty contracts as a Klutch sports client. He is currently on a two-year two-year $99,023,288 contract with the Los Angeles Lakers. All signs point towards him getting at least one more contract.
James has won three National Basketball Association (NBA) championships and four NBA MVP awards (2008–09, 2009–10, 2011–12, and 2012–13). He is a perennial all-star and currently holds the all-time NBA scoring title.
Each year, a new crop of players joins the NBA looking to make a mark on the league. Without a doubt, Rich Paul and Klutch Sports will be the coveted agency among new and old NBA players. The reputation Paul has built has made him the go-to agent in the NBA.
This is not an exhaustive list of the top NBA players signed to Klutch Sports. Players like Tyrese Maxey and Mikal Bridges deserve an honorable mention. Klutch also represents a significant number of top NFL players.