Kyle Terada-US PRESSWIRE
The NBA business world felt a shock today when LeBron James of the Miami Heat left agent Leon Rose of Creative Artists Agency to be represented by longtime friend Rich Paul, who is starting his own sports agency. The news was first reported by the Sports Business Journal.
This is the second time James has changed agents in his career. In 2005 James left his first agent, Aaron Goodwin, for Rose and CAA.
James was one of the key pieces in CAA’s ascension in the NBA business world. CAA represents other prominent NBA superstars such as James’ teammates Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, along with Carmelo Anthony and Chris Paul. No other team has felt CAA’s power more than the New York Knicks where they have clients in the player (Anthony), coaching (Mike Woodson), and executive (Mark Warkentien) levels. CAA also lists Madison Square Garden as a client.
James isn’t leaving CAA with bad feelings. He is continuing a pattern of helping those close to him set up empires of their own. Paul has known James since the current NBA MVP was in high school.
Paul is no novice in sports agency either. He has worked for CAA for a few years and already has clients such as Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Tristan Thompson, and Eric Bledsoe. Paul has earned respect in the NBA during his time at CAA. He will likely take other prominent clients besides James and his current clients with him as is customary in the sports agency world.
James has changed his business circle since joining the Heat according to Brian Windhorst of ESPN’s Heat Index blog. James shifted his marketing affairs to Fenway Sports Group in exchange for an ownership stake in Liverpool FC of the English Premier League in 2011.
The tendency James has for helping close friends build empires can be attributed to another close friend of his, Sean Carter, also known as rapper Jay Z. Carter is also known for helping his close friends build empires.
If James is simply following Carter’s blueprint, it will likely turn out to be a fruitful endeavour.
That’s good news for the growing kingdom of ‘King James.’
