Yahoo’s Marc Spears announced on Twitter that Louisville’s Montrezl Harrell and Kentucky’s Trey Lyles have signed with Rich Paul, founder of Klutch Sports and long-time friend and agent of one of the NBA’s brightest stars, LeBron James.
Last year, in college, Harrell and Lyles sat on opposite sides of one of the sport’s oldest and most passionate rivalries. However, the two big men from the Bluegrass have decided to join the same team ahead of the 2015 NBA Draft.
In one season at the University of Kentucky, Trey Lyles helped carry the Wildcats to their fourth Final Four in six years under John Calipari’s reign. Montrezl Harrell’s three-year career at Louisville ended in an overtime loss to Michigan State in the Elite Eight.
The 6′ 10”, 240-pound Lyles enters the draft after averaging 8.7 points and 5.2 rebounds in 23 minutes per game at UK. Harrell enters the draft two inches shorter than Lyles, but at the same weight, and off of a junior season averaging 15.7 points and 9.2 rebounds in just over 35 minutes per game for the Cardinals.
Lyles is compared to Carlos Boozer by NBADraft.net and prides himself on having a high basketball IQ with a great jumper from outside of the painted area. NBADraft.net compares JJ Hickson and Bo Outlaw to Harrell, who established his home around the rim, leaving Louisville as the school’s all-time leader in dunks.
Rich Paul founded Klutch Sports in 2012 after leaving Creative Artists Agency, and now represents James, Eric Bledsoe, Tristan Thompson, and others.