When it comes to the NBA, Rich Paul is regarded as one of the most powerful agents representing more than 30 players that include Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James, to Philadelphia 76ers star Ben Simmons to Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors.
Paul participated in a recent interview with The New Yorker and talked about being a Black man in a field that is predominantly white. He said that it is entirely hard to represent a White player. The only player that he represents is Bosnian Jusuf Nurkic of the Portland Trail Blazers.
“It’s very difficult for me to represent a white player,” Paul told The New Yorker. “It just is. Look around. There’s very few. I represent a player from Bosnia. But, again, he’s international. He looks at it different.”
Paul was asked: “So White players who are American don’t want a Black agent?”
“They’ll never say that,” Paul responded while smiling. “But they don’t. I think there’s always going to be that cloud over America.”
In the wide-ranging interview, Paul also denied rumors that James holds a secret stake in his agency Klutch Sports Group, which would be a clear violation of NBA rules.
The New Yorker piece also touched on the infamous “Decision,” which Paul took issue with a Bill Simmons ESPN column blaming the fallout on James’ lack of a father figure.
“That’s why I don’t speak to Bill Simmons,” he said. “A lot of that has to do with race, too. He wouldn’t have said that about Larry Bird. He wouldn’t have said that about J. J. Redick. You get what I am saying? ‘The Decision’ ten years ago is the norm today. It’s what everyone wants to do. Kids won’t even decide where they go to college without it being a big production, and Bill Simmons says some s*** like that.”
