September 2012, Klutch Sports Group opened for business. Manned by rookie agent Rich Paul, Lebron James, the rest of King James’ trusted circle & various employees. Their very first client Lebron James himself. Their next clients, Eric Bledsoe, Tristan Thompson, Cory Joseph & Kevin Seraphin to name a few.
The doubts, the complaints and the critics formed almost immediately afterward. People picked apart Rich at every angle. Was he experienced enough?, educated enough? Was he “for real?” The answer we know now is yes he is very much for real. As real as any other agent who has worked in sports or entertainment who understood the art of the deal and the actual business he was working in. He studied under Lebron’s former agent Leon Rose and formed relationships which lead to signings and representation long before becoming a certified agent.
He was the brain behind the return of Lebron and the building of much of their championship roster. He now represents many of the up and coming & established big names in the NBA. Names like Anthony Davis. Which brings me to the NCAA. Tuesday August 6th, the NCAA announced its new criteria for agent certification. The biggest and most controversial change is that applicant agents must have a bachelors degree.
Lebron James immediately went to twitter fingers over his feelings that the NCAA is targeting a new and growing era of sports agent like Rich Paul. The NCAA hasn’t responded or commented as to the reasoning behind the changes but from many angles it looks as if the NCAA wants to keep control over who represents its athletes who they already wholly control in many aspects.
We’ve watched athletes especially basketball players managed horribly by agents over the last few decades. Under the watch of the NCAA, NBA & traditional agencies which will not be named. Athletes have seem to have flourished and gained and flexed more power today than most can even remember in basketball history.
Many analysts speculate that the NCAA rule won’t last for more than a year or two but who’s to say what can and will be done in the name of exclusionary tactics? One things for sure the era of the Agents of Change are on pause.