Sports agent Rich Paul, May 8, 2023, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
High-profile NBA agent Rich Paul, founder of Klutch Sports Group, has a new memoir, “Lucky Me: Changing the Odds,” and in it are more than a few surprising revelations. The book delves into Paul’s life, from a challenging upbringing to becoming a powerful figure in sports.
In the memoir was written with the journalist Jesse Washington and features a foreword by longtime Paul friend and client NBA great LeBron James.
Here are seven things to know.
For the past two decades, Paul, 42, has been among the Who’s Who in sports, often seen with James.
Many have viewed Paul as a man on the come up–running a successful business, carving out his own niche, being engaged to singing diva Adele, a collector of art and other fine assets–but many knew of his early childhood struggles.
Growing up in the dangerous side of Cleveland, he tells of a turbulent upbringing one in which his mother was a drug addict. His father was a figure in his life but he had another family. Paul even reveals he was a drug dealer for a while. He tells his journey from this seemingly insurmountable background to starting his own sports agency, Klutch Sports Group, representing top athletes.
“Lucky Me,” whose title is a nod to Jay-Z’s song of the same name, is both a personal reflection and a response to those who diminish Paul’s success to mere luck instead of hard work.
“I come from a place where every day is chaotic. Every. Day,” Paul told The New York Times in an interview. “Sirens, all day long. You have to wear headphones. I should have been the inventor of Beats, as many sirens as I had to listen to, and yells and cussing outs and everything.”
The memoir offers an intimate look at Paul’s life, detailing the hardships he faced and how those experiences shaped him both personally and professionally. His professional career got a major kick when he met James at an airport in Akron, Ohio. The friendship turned into a partnership, The Daily Mail reported.
“There’s no line down the street to get to knowledge,” Paul said to The New York Times. “It tells you a lot.”
Paul advocates for athletes to prioritize long-term financial security and peace of mind over short-lived social media fame and temporary financial gains. He draws from personal experiences to emphasize the importance of financial stability, especially for athletes.
Paul pays tribute to his father’s influence.
He writes that his father taught him discipline and how to run a business, even though not all of his father’s business dealings were strictly legal. Paul sprinkles his father’s advice throughout the memoir, and recounts the devastation he felt at losing his father, whom he calls his “moral compass,” in 2000.
The memoir sheds light on Paul’s career in the NBA, including the inception and growth of Klutch Sports Group, which he started in 2012 and now has 198 clients between the NBA, WNBA, and NFL. The book delves into the challenges he faced, the stereotypes he overcame, and the controversies surrounding his rise in the sports agency world.
Paul’s memoir explores the challenges of fame, particularly his high-profile relationship with Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Adele. He emphasizes the importance of maintaining privacy and valuing his partner’s happiness, showcasing a more personal side of his life.
Sports agent Rich Paul watches during the first half in Game 4 of an NBA basketball Western Conference semifinal between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Golden State Warriors, May 8, 2023, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
