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.
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Company type | Sports management company |
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Industry | Management |
Founded | 2012 |
Founder | Rich Paul |
Headquarters | Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people |
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Website | unitedtalent |
History
editKlutch 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, Paul 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 Sports Group was named among Time magazine's 100 Most Influential Companies.[12] That same year, Klutch hired sports agent Nicole Lynn as president of football operations.[13]
In the summer of 2023, Klutch Sports Group contracts worth almost $900 million were concluded just for Paul's NBA clients.[14] In December 2023, Klutch acquired the baseball agency, Rep 1.[15]
In June 2024, United Talent Agency acquired Germany's biggest soccer player agency, ROOF (Representatives Of Outstanding Footballers), and integrated it into Klutch Sports Group. The soccer agency, which has offices in Munich, London, and Madrid, represents 150 clients in the "Big Five" European leagues: the German Bundesliga, English Premier League, Spanish La Liga, French Ligue 1, and Italian Serie A.[16][17]
Athletes
editNBA
editKlutch Sports represents the following NBA athletes:
- Lonzo Ball[18]
- MarJon Beauchamp[19]
- Eric Bledsoe[20]
- Miles Bridges[21]
- Troy Brown Jr.[22]
- Kentavious Caldwell-Pope[18]
- Jordan Clarkson[23]
- Anthony Davis[20]
- De'Aaron Fox[24]
- Darius Garland[20]
- Aaron Gordon[25]
- Draymond Green[26]
- Jaden Hardy[27]
- Montrezl Harrell[18]
- Talen Horton-Tucker[18]
- LeBron James[28]
- Keldon Johnson[29]
- Christian Koloko[30]
- Zach LaVine[31]
- Jalen Lecque[32]
- Tyrese Maxey[18]
- Ben McLemore[18]
- Dejounte Murray[21]
- Kendrick Nunn[33]
- Jusuf Nurkić[34]
- Scotty Pippen Jr.[35]
- Terrence Ross[36]
- Collin Sexton[20]
- Juan Toscano-Anderson[37]
- Gary Trent Jr.[20]
- Jarred Vanderbilt
- Fred VanVleet
- Lonnie Walker[38]
- John Wall[39]
- Trae Young[40]
NFL
editKlutch Sports has represented the following NFL athletes, either currently or formerly:
- DeAndre Hopkins
- Tremayne Anchrum
- Christian Barmore
- Camryn Bynum
- Rasul Douglas
- Dez Fitzpatrick
- Matt Judon
- Bryce Hall
- Kylin Hill
- Jalen Hurts
- Odell Beckham Jr.
- Alex Leatherwood
- Kellen Mond
- Myles Garrett
- Donovan Peoples-Jones
- Michael Pierce
- Bijan Robinson
- Quincy Roche
- Laviska Shenault
- DeVonta Smith
- Ke'Shawn Vaughn
- Montez Sweat
- Jedrick Wills
- Marvin Wilson
- Chase Young[41][42]
NCAA Men's Basketball
editKlutch Sports represents the following men's college basketball athletes:
NCAA Women’s Basketball
editReferences
edit- ^ 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.
- ^ Gregory, Sean (April 26, 2021). "2021 Time100 Most Influential Companies − Klutch Sports Group". Time. Archived from the original on September 9, 2024. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
- ^ "Klutch Sports Group Hires Nicole Lynn As President Of Football Operations". Retrieved November 4, 2022.
- ^ Whitaker, Bill (June 2, 2024) [First published October 8, 2023]. "How sports agent Rich Paul rewrites the playbook for representing pro athletes". CBS News. Archived from the original on September 9, 2024. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
- ^ "Klutch Sports Group moves into baseball with acquisition of Rep 1 Baseball". www.sportsbusinessjournal.com. December 14, 2023. Retrieved July 24, 2024.
- ^ Whittock, Jesse (June 10, 2024). "UTA Scores Deal To Buy Europe Soccer Agency Roof". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on September 1, 2024. Retrieved September 1, 2024.
- ^ Weprin, Alex (June 10, 2024). "UTA Acquires European Soccer Agency Roof as Klutch Expands Global Reach". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on September 1, 2024. Retrieved September 1, 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.