American sports agency based in Los Angeles, California
KLUTCH Sports Group is an American
sports agency based in
Los Angeles ,
California , founded by
sports agent
and CEO Rich Paul . KLUTCH Sports Group also has offices in
Atlanta , Georgia;
New York , New York; and
Cleveland , Ohio.
Klutch Sports Group was founded in 2012 by Rich Paul.
[1]
[2]
[3]
In 2003, after
the NBA draft , LeBron James asked Paul to be a part of his small inner circle, along with James' childhood friends
Maverick Carter and Randy Mims.
[3] Paul quickly obliged. He would later start working under
Leon Rose , who had negotiated James' extension with the Cavaliers in 2006, at
Creative Artists Agency . In 2012, Paul left Rose and CAA to start his own agency, Klutch Sports Group, and his first clients were James, Eric Bledsoe, Tristan Thompson and Cory Joseph.
[4] In 2013, Paul enlisted agent and attorney
Mark Termini to run the NBA contract negotiations for Klutch.
[5]
[6] By the conclusion of their agreement in 2020, Termini negotiated $1.4 billion in NBA contracts for Klutch Sports clients from 2014 through 2019.
[7] In 2019,
United Talent Agency (UTA) asked Paul to run its sports division through a partnership with Klutch, and expand representing NFL and WNBA players.
[8] In 2020, he accepted a position on UTA's board of directors.
[9]
[10] Paul also expanded its clientele at Klutch to include the
National Football League (NFL) by hiring former player
Damarius Bilbo .
[11]
In 2021, Klutch hired sports agent
Nicole Lynn as president of football operations.
[12]
In December 2023, Klutch acquired the baseball agency, Rep 1.
[13]
Klutch Sports represents the following NBA athletes:
Klutch Sports has represented the following NFL athletes, either currently or formerly:
Klutch Sports represents the following men's college basketball athletes:
^ Vorkunov, Mike.
"Rich Paul, KSP sued for $4.9 million over alleged breach of contract" . The New York Times .
ISSN
0362-4331 . Retrieved July 24, 2024 .
^
"Klutch CEO Rich Paul on the changing business of sports" . Washington Post . October 10, 2023.
ISSN
0190-8286 . Retrieved July 24, 2024 .
^
a
b Broussard, Chris (December 25, 2012).
"The chosen's one" . ESPN .
^
"LeBron James Leaves CAA, Childhood Friend will Represent Him" . International Business Times . September 13, 2012. Retrieved August 18, 2014 .
^ Zillgitt, Jeff (January 15, 2013).
"LeBron James rep Klutch Sports adds top agent Termini" . USA Today . USA Today. Retrieved June 8, 2021 .
^ Price, S.L. (June 12, 2019).
"The King Maker: Why Rich Paul Will Own the NBA Summer" . SI.com . SI.com. Retrieved June 8, 2021 .
^ Stein, Marc [@TheSteinLine] (February 19, 2021).
"Mark Termini, the longtime agent and attorney who led negotiations on the $1.4 billion in NBA contracts closed by Klutch Sports from 2014-2019, is no longer affiliated with the agency, league sources say" (
Tweet ).
Archived from the original on March 4, 2021. Retrieved June 11, 2021 – via
Twitter .
^ Skipper, Clay (December 16, 2019).
"Rich Paul Is Rewriting the Rulebook" . GQ . Retrieved February 9, 2021 .
^ McNary, Dave (July 27, 2020).
"LeBron James' Agent Rich Paul Named to UTA Board" . Variety . Retrieved February 9, 2021 .
^ Stein, Marc (July 17, 2019).
"LeBron James's Agent, Rich Paul, Starts a Sports Division at a Hollywood Firm (Published 2019)" . The New York Times .
ISSN
0362-4331 . Retrieved February 10, 2021 .
^ Skipper, Clay (January 14, 2020).
"Meet the Super-Agent Who Rich Paul's Betting on to Take Over the NFL" . GQ . Retrieved February 10, 2021 .
^
"Klutch Sports Group Hires Nicole Lynn As President Of Football Operations" . Retrieved November 4, 2022 .
^
"Klutch Sports Group moves into baseball with acquisition of Rep 1 Baseball" . www.sportsbusinessjournal.com . December 14, 2023. Retrieved July 24, 2024 .
^
a
b
c
d
e
f
"Coming in Klutch – Los Angeles Lakers Benefit From Klutch Sports Clients Since LeBron James Arrived" . Essentially Sports. April 7, 2021. Retrieved July 7, 2021 .
^ Chris Fedor (June 8, 2022).
"2022 NBA Draft: MarJon Beauchamp joining Malaki Branham and others in 'group' workout for Cleveland Cavaliers Wednesday" .
Cleveland.com . Retrieved June 24, 2022 .
^
a
b
c
d
e Jordan Greer (October 20, 2021).
"Rich Paul's top clients: Klutch Sports Group agent's NBA roster goes well beyond LeBron James" .
Sporting News . Retrieved March 7, 2022 .
^
a
b Justin Alvarado (June 30, 2020).
"Every client of Klutch Sports" .
ClutchPoints . Retrieved July 7, 2021 .
^ Austin Boyd (June 30, 2022).
"Lakers Sign Ex-Bulls Forward, Former 1st-Round Pick Who Is Klutch Client" .
Heavy . Retrieved July 1, 2022 .
^ Brendan Bowers (June 25, 2019).
"Cleveland Cavaliers guard Jordan Clarkson signs with Rich Paul and Klutch Sports" .
USA Today . Retrieved July 5, 2022 .
^ Barling, Damien [@damienbarling] (November 14, 2022).
"Reporting with @James_HamNBA De'Aaron Fox has moved on from Chris Gaston and Family First Sports Firm and is joining Klutch Sports. This is a huge step for the 24 year old Sacramento Kings guard" (
Tweet ).
Archived from the original on November 18, 2022. Retrieved April 28, 2023 – via
Twitter .
^
"Agent: Gordon, Nuggets agree to $92M extension" . ESPN.com . September 14, 2021. Retrieved December 17, 2021 .
^
"Rich Paul Client List" .
RealGM . Retrieved July 7, 2021 .
^
"NBA prospect Jaden Hardy has long drawn Beal comparisons" .
NBC Sports Washington . June 7, 2022. Retrieved June 24, 2022 .
^ Nikki Finke (September 13, 2012).
"LeBron James Leaves CAA With Agent Pal; Start Of Sports Representation Shake-Up?" .
Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved July 5, 2022 .
^ Jeff Garcia (November 16, 2021).
"Spurs' Keldon Johnson signs with Klutch Sports" .
KENS . Retrieved June 24, 2022 .
^ Bruce Pascoe (May 25, 2022).
" 'Skilled' Henri Veesaar finds fit with internationally minded Arizona Wildcats" .
Longview News-Journal . Retrieved June 24, 2022 .
^
"LeBron James welcomes Zach LaVine to Klutch Sports Group" . RSN . Retrieved December 17, 2021 .
^ Rachel Gossen (October 3, 2020).
"Phoenix Suns' Jalen Lecque signs with Klutch Sports Group" .
KMVP-FM . Retrieved July 5, 2022 .
^ Sanjesh Singh (September 30, 2021).
"Lakers news: Kendrick Nunn signs with Klutch Sports Group" .
USA Today Sports Weekly . Retrieved March 7, 2022 .
^
"Trail Blazers, Jusuf Nurkić agree to 4-year, $70 million deal" .
The Athletic . July 1, 2022. Retrieved July 1, 2022 .
^ Bryce Smith (May 26, 2022).
"Scotty Pippen Jr. impresses at NBA Combine, signs with Klutch Sports Group" .
The Vanderbilt Hustler . Retrieved June 24, 2022 .
^ Khobi Price (December 16, 2021).
"Magic's Terrence Ross not worrying about potential trade as rumors pick up" .
Orlando Sentinel . Retrieved July 5, 2022 .
^ Sean Keane (June 30, 2022).
"Warriors say "Adios" as Juan Toscano-Anderson signs with Lakers" .
SB Nation . Retrieved July 1, 2022 .
^ Dave McMenamin (June 30, 2022).
"Los Angeles Lakers add Lonnie Walker IV, Damian Jones, Troy Brown Jr., Juan Toscano-Anderson duri..."
WABC-TV . Retrieved July 1, 2022 .
^ Kurt Helin (February 22, 2022).
"Rich Paul wants to clear record: Klutch Sports didn't push Westbrook for Wall trade" .
NBC Sports . Retrieved March 7, 2022 .
^ Chris Kirschner (June 30, 2020).
"Inside the pursuit: Why Trae Young signed with Klutch Sports and what it means" .
The Athletic . Retrieved October 18, 2022 .
^
"NFL Agents Tracker" . Spotrac.com . Retrieved February 13, 2022 .
^
"NFL Agents Tracker" . Spotrac.com . Retrieved February 13, 2022 .