Is Adele, 33, saying “Hello” to a new relationship? Fans sure think so after the Grammy Award-winning singer cozied up to Rich Paul, 39, at the NBA Game 5 Finals between the Milwaukee Bucks and the Phoenix Suns. Adele and Rich, a prominent sports agent, seemed to be having fun together as they chatted while watching the on-court action. Following the game, a source told E! News that the pair are dating.
So who is Adele’s apparent new flame? HollywoodLife has rounded up five key things to know about Rich, including all the details about his widely-successful career in the sports world.
1. Rich Paul’s Success Began At A Young Age.
Rich Paul seemed to always be destined for greatness. When he was just 19 years old, Rich, who grew up in a neighborhood just east of Cleveland, Ohio, bought his very own house, according to Sport’s Illustrated. He was reportedly making up to $10,000 a week from selling vintage jerseys out of his car trunk after being mentored in the business by Distant Replays owner Andy Hyman. “He was willing to put whatever it took to be a success, and convinced me that he was worth investing my time,” Andy said of Rich in a June 2019 interview with SI. “He doesn’t take no for an answer.”
2. Rich Paul Is LeBron James’ Agent.
Rich made his mark on the sports industry when he joined up with LeBron James, 36, in 2003. The pair first met at an airport in Akron, Ohio when Rich was just 21 years old and LeBron was still in high school, per Business Insider. James was fascinated with Rich’s vintage jersey business when they met, and they kept in touch. Cut to the 2003 NBA Draft, where LeBron got picked first and reportedly hired Rich as his personal assistant for $50,000 a year. Not long after, Rich learned more about how the mechanics of sports business and he became LeBron’s trusted agent.
Rich represented LeBron under Leon Rose at Creative Artists Agency (CAA) for the first few years. But in 2012, Rich left CAA to form his own sports agency — and he eagerly took LeBron with him.
3. Rich Paul Founded The Klutch Sports Group.
Rich founded a new sports agency, the Klutch Sports Group, in 2012. The agency represents a long list of NBA athletes, LeBron included, and its contract negations have been run by long-time agent and attorney Mark Termini, according to SI. Between 2014 and 2019, Mark reportedly negotiated $1.4 billion in NBA contracts on behalf of Rich’s Klutch.
In addition, Rich expanded his business dealings with Klutch by joining the United Talent Agency’s (UTA) sports division through a partnership with the two businesses in 2019. Then in 2020, he was reportedly named on the UTA’s board of directors, and also started “Klutch Conversations” with a goal of teaching and encouraging financial literacy to the youth.
4. Rich Paul Represents Over 20 NBA Stars.
As the founder of Klutch Sports Group, Rich represents an array of successful players in the NBA. He has over 20 clients, including Lebron, Tristan Thompson, Ben Simmons, John Wall, Anthony Davis, Terrence Ross, Gary Trent Jr., Darius Garland and Draymond Green. The majority of Rich’s clients play for the Los Angeles Lakers, likely due to his connections made from his professional and personal relationship with LeBron.
5. Rich Paul Has A High Net Worth.
It’s safe to say that Rich is worth a lot of money. In December 2020, Rich was ranked #9 on Forbes‘ 2020 Sports Agents Commissions list, with a net worth in commissions of $46 million. The list also reported that Rich was involved in client contracts worth $1.3 billion. That same year, Rich was also included in EBONY magazine’s ‘Power 100‘ list, which honors the most influential Black Americans each year. He was joined on the star-studded list by Karamo Brown, Gayle King, Simone Biles, Lizzo, Megan Thee Stallion and more.
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