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LeBron James Making Another Agent Change By Hiring Childhood Friend Rich Paul

LeBron James began his professional basketball career as a client of Aaron Goodwin.  Goodwin negotiated LeBron’s on-court contract and off-court marketing deals, including the lucrative $90 million Nike contract signed immediately prior to the 2003 NBA Draft wherein LeBron was selected #1 overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers.  Two years later, LeBron decided to part ways with Goodwin and his company Goodwin Sports Management.  He hired Leon Rose (of Creative Artists Agency [CAA]) to handle his playing contracts and formed a new marketing company along with his childhood friends Rich Paul, Maverick Carter, and Randy Mims.  The company adopted the first letter of the first name of the four friends and has been known as LRMR ever since.

Yesterday, I was told that a rumor was circulating and that I should “keep an eye on LBJ leaving CAA.”  And earlier tonight, Liz Mullen of SportsBusiness Journal tweeted, “LeBron James is leaving CAA to be represented by his childhood friend Rich Paul, who is also leaving CAA, sources said.”  Paul, who is a founder of LRMR has also held a position within CAA.  As the Cleveland, Ohio sports blog WaitingForNextYear wrote roughly a year ago,

Paul seems focused to make his name in the agent arena. And while LRMR will continue to operate as the marketing arm, Paul tells WFNY that his work with CAA is something completely independent.

Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com has reported that LeBron James (who still has four years remaining on his contract with the Miami Heat, which was negotiated by Leon Rose of CAA) has in fact left CAA and will soon be signing with Rich Paul.  While Paul already represents Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Tristan Thompson, and Eric Bledsoe, starting up his new company “Klutch Sports Group” with LeBron James as a client is certainly the moment Paul has been waiting for – his name in the agent arena will be made.  But how much of a role will Rich Paul play even when it comes time for LeBron to negotiate a new contract with a professional basketball team?  As NBA reporter Alex Kennedy tweeted, “LeBron James could hire anyone as his agent. He’s going to have max contract offers and plenty of opportunities regardless of who reps him.”

By Darren Heitner

Darren Adam Heitner, Esq., is a preeminent sports attorney and the founder of Heitner Legal, P.L.L.C., a Fort Lauderdale-based law firm specializing in sports law, contract negotiations, intellectual property, and arbitration. He earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Florida Levin College of Law in 2010 and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, magna cum laude, from the University of Florida in 2007, where he was named Valedictorian of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Admitted to practice in the state bars of Florida, New York, and the District of Columbia, as well as multiple federal courts, Darren also serves as a certified arbitrator with the American Arbitration Association.

As an adjunct professor, Darren imparts his expertise through teaching Sports Law at the University of Florida Levin College of Law and Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) at the University of Miami School of Law in the Entertainment, Arts, and Sports Law LL.M. program. His scholarly contributions include authoring several books published by the American Bar Association, such as How to Play the Game: What Every Sports Attorney Needs to Know, and numerous articles in prominent publications like Forbes, Inc. Magazine, and Above the Law. His thought leadership in NIL has earned him recognition as one of the foremost experts by The Wall Street Journal, USA TODAY, and On3, and he has been lauded as a “power player in NIL deals” by Action Network and a “top sports trademark attorney” by Sportico.

Darren’s passion for sports law led him to establish Sports Agent Blog on December 31, 2005, initially titled “I Want To Be A Sports Agent.” The platform, created as a New Year’s resolution, has grown into a cornerstone of the sports agency community, offering in-depth analysis of industry trends, legal disputes, and agent-player dynamics. His commitment to the field is further evidenced by his representation of numerous athletes and sports agents, as well as his prior role as an Adjunct Professor at Indiana University Bloomington, where he developed and taught a course on Sport Agency Management from 2011 to 2014.

Darren’s contributions have been recognized with prestigious honors, including the University of Florida’s 40 Under 40 Award, the University of Florida Levin College of Law’s Outstanding Young Alumnus Award, and designation as the best lawyer in Fort Lauderdale by Fort Lauderdale Magazine. He remains an active voice in the sports law community, sharing insights through his weekly NIL newsletter and his X posts, engaging a broad audience on legal developments in sports.