Rich Paul

Every year a new pool of NBA caliber players enter the NCAA college basketball league. A select group of individuals referred to as “basketball agents” specialize in taking the young talent and transitioning their on-court skills to off-court dollar signs.

Although each of the best basketball agents use different approaches to placing players in the best contracts, the result is the same. Basketball agents strive to receive the most money for the longest period of time for their clients. Although many basketball agents have the same goals and connections, one agent stands apart from the rest.

Rich Paul was born on December 16, 1981 in Cleveland, Ohio. He shared a one-bedroom apartment with his family and attended a small Catholic High School. What stands out about Rich Paul from other basketball agents, however, is the fact that Mr. Paul did not complete college.

In 2002, Rich Paul was selling vintage sports jerseys when he met LeBron James. Rich Paul impressed James with an authentic Warren Moon football jersey and the two exchanged contact information. In 2003, LeBron James was drafted and hired Rich Paul to join his inner circle. In 2006, Leon Rose took over the position as LeBron’s new agent. Rich began working under Leon Rose learning the skills to become a top basketball agent. Rich Paul was known to “absorb all information” he was learning whatever was given to him.

In 2012 LeBron James decided it was time for change. He fired Leon Rose and helped Rich Paul open his agency “Klutch Sports Group." Then, Rich Paul went on a negotiating rampage, securing contracts and shocking the entire world with his abilities to do so. Although no college degree is required to operate as an agent in the NBA, the NCAA recently tested this rule.

The new rules came after Rich Paul convinced Darius Bazley, a basketball prospect, to skip a year of college basketball before joining the G-League. He instead trained for the NBA while undertaking an internship at New Balance (courtesy of Rich Paul). Rich Paul was successful in his plan as Darius Bazley followed his directions and was drafted in the first round of the NBA draft the following year.

The result of his plan was the NCAA instituting new rules against Rich Paul. One of the main new rules being that basketball agents must have a bachelor’s degree to represent NCAA players. The rule primarily excluded Rich Paul from being able to scout college talent since he is the only active basketball agent without a college degree. The rule was automatically faced with backlash from countless fans and NBA players.

The biggest backlash stemmed from LeBron James himself who entitled the rules “The Rich Paul Rules” on twitter. Rich Paul himself spoke out against the NCAA in an op-ed he wrote for The Athletic. Rich Paul wrote, “NCAA executives are once again preventing young people from less prestigious backgrounds, and often people of color, from working in the system they continue to control. In this case, the people being locked out are kids who aspire to be an agent and work in the NBA and do not have the resources, opportunity, or desire to get a four-year degree.” The backlash continued to grow wild as the NCAA remained silent on the topic.

On August 12th, 2019 the NCAA revoked the “Rich Paul rule” meaning no current or future agents will be required to have a bachelor’s degree. The NCAA has now proposed a new way of certifying all basketball agents with and without a degree alike. Rich Paul will be allowed to scout prospects in the upcoming NCAA season without any detourance. New agents will now have to undergo a certification process that excludes the need for a basketball degree meaning anybody from any background, like Rich Paul, can work to become a basketball agent.