Rich Paul

Rich Paul is an American sports agent and is one of the most powerful figures in sports management today, widely recognized as the founder and CEO of Klutch Sports Group. Best known for representing NBA superstar LeBron James, Paul has built an elite roster of clients that includes top-tier athletes like Anthony Davis, Draymond Green, and Trae Young. His agency, which operates under United Talent Agency (UTA), has redefined the business side of basketball, negotiating deals worth over a billion dollars. 

Rich Paul's early life was marked by modest beginnings and a strong drive to succeed.

• Born on December 16, 1980, in Cleveland, Ohio.
• He grew up in a one-bedroom apartment above his father’s store, R & J Confectionery, located at East 125th and Arlington in Forest Hills, on the east side of Cleveland.
• He was enrolled by his father in Benedictine High School, a private Catholic school in Cleveland.
• After high school, he was mentored by Distant Replays owner Andy Hyman in selling vintage sports jerseys.
• He began buying throwback jerseys from Atlanta and selling them out of his car trunk in Cleveland.
• He was attending the University of Akron when his father was diagnosed with intestinal cancer in 1999, prompting him to transfer to Cleveland State.
• Shortly after the transfer, his father passed away, and Paul dropped out of college to focus on work.
• In 2002, his big break came when he met LeBron James at the Akron-Canton Airport, impressing him with a rare throwback jersey and beginning a lasting business relationship.
• He soon began selling more jerseys to James, including a Magic Johnson Lakers jersey and a Joe Namath Rams jersey.
• That connection laid the groundwork for his future role in James' inner circle after the 2003 NBA draft.

Rich Paul's family provided emotional grounding and personal motivation throughout his journey to success.

• His father, Rich Paul Sr., owned a candy store named R & J Confectionery in Cleveland and passed away from cancer in 1999.
• He was raised by his father in a modest one-bedroom apartment above the store.
• Rich Paul has three children, but he was not married to the mothers of his children.
• In May 2024, his daughter Reonna graduated from Clark Atlanta University.
• In 2021, he began a relationship with British singer Adele, who is one of the world’s best-selling music artists.
• On August 9, 2024, Adele announced that they were engaged.
• Rich Paul and Adele are part of a blended family, as Adele has a son from a previous relationship.