Photo: Clutchmag.com
LeBron James will go down as the greatest, even if he never scores another point. His insight and brilliance on the court is otherworldly but his moves off of the court are unparalleled. LeBron realized very early that he was the one who produced value, not an agent or marketing rep in the background. With that understanding, LeBron used his platform to empower other Black people in a way that few in sports and entertainment have ever done. LeBron could have hired the same “high profile” agents and managers other players do but instead, he chose to make millionaires of the Black people around him. G.O.A.T.
Rich Paul is the man behind Klutch Sports Group. Paul’s client list reads like a Who’s Who of the NBA — Anthony Davis, Draymond Green and John Wall are all clients, among many others. Klutch Sports has even spread its influence to football, a fact clearly demonstrated by the recent signing of Ohio State star Chase Young. Paul is on top but he certainly didn’t start there; Paul was selling jerseys out of his car when he met LeBron. James was impressed with Paul and brought him into his inner circle. LeBron waited patiently while Paul learned the business from more experienced sports agents and once Paul launched Klutch Sports, James was right there as a client.
Maverick Carter played basketball with James in high school. Carter was a student at the University of Akron when he decided to drop out to become a field representative full time for Nike. For Carter, however, it wasn’t simply an internship with Nike but in fact an education and grooming period in preparation to run LeBron’s business affairs. Carter has gone on to secure a variety of landmark deals for James, deals that go far beyond sneakers. Carter helped orchestrate LeBron partial stake in the Liverpool Football Club, a soccer team worth over $2 billion.
Randy Mims has likely known LeBron longer than anyone, save LeBron’s own family. The two met at the age of 5 and have been connected since. Mims, along with Carter, Paul and James, is one of the founders of LRMR sports marketing company. LRMR is an acronym for LeBron, Rich, Maverick and Randy. All of LeBron’s marketing contracts go through LRMR. Rather than enrich the usual suspects with his endorsment deals, LeBron positioned other Black entrepreneurs to reap the harvest of his celebrity. Harvard Business School professor Anita Elberse once said of LRMR, “This is the future of sports and sports marketing.”
Some rappers hand out turkeys in the hood during Thanksgiving. Many athletes think themselves “down for the people” when they pay for a funeral in the hood. LeBron James showed how woke he was by creating other Black millionaires. He gave them a broader platform to build their legacies and create even more opportunities for others. LeBron saw that he had the ability to create Black wealth for others and was intentional about doing so. Root for whomever you’d like but LeBron James will always be the G.O.A.T.
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