Rich Paul explains why role acceptance and fundamentals define NBA longevity more than raw talent.<\/p>\n
Super agent Rich Paul has revealed the secrets to becoming a long-term professional basketballer.<\/p>\n
The 44-year-old is LeBron James<\/a>‘ agent along with Anthony Davis<\/a> and Draymond Green<\/a>. Paul’s secrets aren’t just for NBA players, they are essential for all professional basketballers from WNBA, WNBL, NBL and semi-professional such as NBL1, national, and state emerging stars and Australian youth league.<\/p>\n Every Australian player with goals and dreams of being played to play basketball should print out Paul’s advice (below) and pin it to their fridge.<\/p>\n “What I\u2019ve learned just in the past couple years is going to a school or playing the most fundamental basketball you can play while you\u2019re young, having an understanding of how to play without the ball, being coached really hard, and not being allowed to just do any and everything you want to do \u2014 which kids call ‘getting in a bag’ today,” Paul told NBA\u00a0Hall of Famer Carmelo Anthony on his 7pm in Brooklyn podcast<\/a>.<\/p>\n “Because when you get to the NBA<\/a>, you have to start in a role. A lot of guys that are talented and don\u2019t make it or don\u2019t last, it\u2019s not because they can\u2019t play in the NBA. You wonder, and these guys don\u2019t understand. <\/p>\n “They\u2019ll be like, ‘Oh man, but I averaged 50 every time I got in. I scored’. Yeah, but you\u2019re not starring in a role.<\/p>\n “So you can cook, but you can\u2019t collaborate. You can cook, but you can\u2019t digest information. <\/p>\n “You can cook, but you\u2019re not willing to not be the focal point. And you don\u2019t understand, when you take a step back from the league and look, he\u2019s (Anthony)\u00a0never had to be in that situation until he was at the end of his career.<\/p>\n “But he had so much confidence in himself, and his legacy was already cemented. So when he came to that point of his career, he was now loving the game. He went through a thing where me and him talked, where he just wanted to be back in the league and do it his way.<\/p>\n “You\u2019re talking about a guy who made all the money, all the All-Star games, did game-winners, all of that. But his love for the game brought him to that space at that time.<\/p>\n “These guys that are at the end of the road, he already had the pot of gold, the rainbow, everything. These guys aren\u2019t even on the road, and they\u2019re not getting opportunity because they don\u2019t understand how to start in a role.<\/p>\n “And it\u2019s just one thing that\u2019s sad, because all these high-ranked guys, they don\u2019t really last. It\u2019s because of that more than anything, in my opinion.”<\/p>\n Anthony, now 41, is a 10-time NBA All-Star (2007, 2008, 2010\u20132017), two-time All-NBA Second Team (2010, 2013), four-time All-NBA Third Team (2006, 2007, 2009, 2012), NBA scoring champion (2013), NBA All-Rookie First Team (2004), and a member of the NBA 75th Anniversary Team. He averaged 22.5 points per game, 6.2 rebounds and 2.7 assists in 1,260 NBA\u00a0games. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame this year, his first year of eligibility.<\/p>\n Anthony also won Olympic Games gold medals for the US\u00a0Men’s team in 2008, 2012 and 2016.<\/p>\n But late in his career, Anthony became a role player for the Portland Trail Blazers and Los Angeles Lakers.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n “It starts with the development,” Anthony said to Paul.<\/p>\n “You\u2019re not being taught the game the right way anymore at a young age. So when you go to these combines and these colleges and try to make the pros, as you start getting older and bigger and stronger, everybody else is doing the same thing.<\/p>\n “Somebody you may have seen at 6\u20191\u201d this year may come back 6\u20194\u201d next year and 6\u20197\u201d two years after that. So when you get to that level, to your point, as a role player \u2014 and I can attest to this because I had to, at the end, be at peace with that \u2014 I had to be away from the game in order to appreciate it.<\/p>\n “I had to say, ‘You know what, I\u2019m going to be at peace. I\u2019m going to do it my way. I want to have fun. I want to enjoy the game, but I\u2019m going to accept my role’. <\/p>\n “I had to take off the ego hat and the pride hat and say, ‘You know what, I\u2019m going to be cool with averaging 13, because that\u2019s my role’.<\/p>\n “I can\u2019t look at it like, ‘Oh, I\u2019m averaging 13 or 15’, and compare that to where I was in New York averaging 28 or 29. Because if I\u2019m doing my role, I feel like I\u2019m having a very successful year.<\/p>\n “That was something mentally I had to accept. Not play the game, but really understand that in order for me to have fun with this game, I had to accept that role. And I don\u2019t think kids have an opportunity from a young age to understand what playing a role is.<\/p>\n “You\u2019re taught to roll the ball out and go play. You\u2019ve got the best handles, you\u2019re the best player at that age \u2014 until you meet somebody else who\u2019s the best player at that age and realize you weren\u2019t developed the right way.<\/p>\n “That\u2019s the problem when they get to the pros, and even college. Some struggle their first year, their confidence drops, then they go into the transfer portal. You\u2019re not putting the work in, and you didn\u2019t understand what you just said.”<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Paul said the secret to longevity was understand your role and being a star in that role.<\/p>\n “I\u2019ve had it at the beginning, and I\u2019ve had it at the end,” he revealed.<\/p>\n “The other issue is a lot of these guys are surrounded by people who don\u2019t have the right information.<\/p>\n “Good, bad, right, or indifferent, you still have to check yourself. You can\u2019t just say certain things because they\u2019re searching. They\u2019re searching for the words they want to hear, not the right words.<\/p>\n “It\u2019s no different than a little kid going to you and saying, ‘Dad, can I get\u2014’ and you say no. Then they go to grandma, she says yeah, and that\u2019s who they\u2019re going with. It\u2019s the same thing in our industry.<\/p>\n “I don\u2019t want to be a person where people say, ‘You don\u2019t want me listening to my people or my family’. That\u2019s not it. What I\u2019m telling you is what I know, straight from the horse\u2019s mouth, because we\u2019re all trying to help you better position yourself.<\/p>\n “They see it from one lens. If this person doesn\u2019t get in the game or doesn\u2019t get shots, that\u2019s all they see. I\u2019m looking at it holistically. I can only give it to you from a real place of education at the highest level.<\/p>\n “Not because it\u2019s what you want to hear, and not because I\u2019m trying to bamboozle you. I\u2019m really trying to help. That\u2019s a tough balancing act in my position, but that\u2019s the role I have to play.<\/p>\n “And it\u2019s okay. Sometimes you\u2019ve got to be the man. You\u2019ve got to do it.”<\/p>\n The Five Secrets to Becoming a Veteran Professional (According to Rich Paul)1. Learn the game before you learn the bag<\/p>\n Play fundamental basketball early. Learn how to play without the ball, be coached hard, and accept structure. Flashy skill without foundation doesn\u2019t translate when roles tighten.<\/p>\n Talent gets you noticed. Fundamentals keep you employed.<\/p>\n 2. Understand that everyone starts in a role<\/p>\n No matter how talented you are, the NBA starts you in a role. Players who fail often aren\u2019t untalented \u2014 they just refuse to accept not being the focal point.<\/p>\n You don\u2019t star immediately. You earn trust first.<\/p>\n 3. Being able to \u201ccook\u201d isn\u2019t enough<\/p>\n Rich Paul\u2019s sharpest distinction: Longevity comes from adaptability, not shot-making.<\/p>\n 4. Veteran mindset is about loving the game, not protecting status<\/p>\n True veterans rediscover the game by letting go of ego. Once legacy and money are secured, the love of basketball \u2014 and willingness to serve the team \u2014 is what keeps careers alive.<\/p>\n The game gives more to players who stop demanding from it.<\/p>\n 5. Listen to people who tell you the truth, not what you want to hear<\/p>\n Young players often surround themselves with voices that reinforce entitlement. Rich Paul stresses the importance of holistic, uncomfortable truth over one-lens thinking about minutes, shots, or usage.<\/p>\n Growth comes from education, not validation.<\/p>\n Bottom Line (Rich Paul\u2019s Philosophy)<\/p>\n Most NBA careers are not stardom \u2014 they are role mastery. Players who understand that early last longer, earn more, and enjoy the game deeper.<\/p>\n Who Is Rich Paul?<\/p>\n Full name: Richard Paul Occupations:<\/p>\n Sports agentFounder & CEO, Klutch Sports GroupCo-head of Sports, United Talent Agency (UTA)<\/p>\n Years active: 2003\u2013present<\/p>\n Rich Paul emerged as one of the most influential figures in modern sports representation through a non-traditional path that reshaped athlete agency in the NBA.<\/p>\n Following the 2003 NBA Draft, Paul joined LeBron James\u2019 inner circle, alongside Maverick Carter and Randy Mims. He later began working under Leon Rose at Creative Artists Agency (CAA), where Rose had negotiated James\u2019 2006 contract extension with the Cleveland Cavaliers.<\/p>\n In 2012, Paul and James left CAA to launch Klutch Sports Group, positioning it as a player-first agency with a strong emphasis on empowerment and control. In 2013, Paul recruited veteran agent and attorney Mark Termini to lead NBA contract negotiations for Klutch.<\/p>\n Business Expansion & Influence<\/p>\n Klutch Conversations (2020): Key NBA Clients<\/p>\n LeBron James: The foundational client for Klutch Sports.\u200dAnthony Davis: A cornerstone player for the Lakers championship, now with the Dallas Mavericks.\u200dDraymond Green: A key player for the Golden State Warriors.\u200dZach LaVine: A high-scoring guard for the Sacramento Kings\u200dDarius Garland: The franchise guard for the Cleveland Cavaliers.\u200dTyrese Maxey: A breakout star for the Philadelphia 76ers.\u200dDe’Aaron Fox: The leading guard for the San Antonio Spurs.\u200dFred VanVleet: A veteran point guard for the Houston Rockets.\u200dLonzo Ball: A dynamic guard for the Cleveland Cavaliers. About the Author<\/p>\n Peter Brown is the head coach of the Sydney Comets Women\u2019s Youth League<\/a> team in the Waratah Basketball League <\/a>in NSW. He is also the assistant coach for the Comets NBL1 women\u2019s team in the NBL East Conference<\/a>. Peter is a 30-year journalist, starting as a sports reporter at the NT News<\/a> in the early 1990s. He played junior basketball for the Northern Territory at national championships from U16 to U20 and for the Territory\u2019s senior men\u2019s team at numerous international tournaments. Peter has been a basketball fan since the early 80s, especially the NBA<\/a>. Basketball is his passion \u2014 and his opinions his own. Email peter.brown@basketball.com.au<\/a> with feedback. Any email feedback on articles sent to Peter can be published on basketball.com.au for others to read.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Rich Paul explains why role acceptance and fundamentals define NBA longevity more than raw talent. Super agent Rich…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":344286,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[557],"tags":[64,63,590,85],"class_list":["post-344285","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nba","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-nba","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/344285","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=344285"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/344285\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/344286"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=344285"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=344285"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=344285"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
You can cook, but can you collaborate?
You can cook, but can you digest information?
You can cook, but can you step back from being the centrepiece?<\/p>\n
Born: December 16, 1980 (age 44)
Birthplace: Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.<\/p>\n
Launched with SocialWorks and General Mills to promote financial literacy among youth.UTA board appointment (2020):
Paul joined UTA\u2019s board of directors.Adopt (2021):
Co-founded a minority-owned marketing and creative agency with former Nike executives.Fashion & culture:
Collaborated with New Balance on the NB550 sneaker release (2021) and later launched Klutch Athletics (2023), a sportswear brand.Museums & entertainment:
Joined the LACMA board of trustees (2022) and the Live Nation Entertainment board (2023).Funko investment (2022\u20132023):
Part of a $263 million consortium investment alongside Bob Iger, eBay, and The Chernin Group. Served as board advisor before resigning in late 2023.<\/p>\n