Rich Paul Finally Claps Back At The NCAA Over Their Pathetic "Rich Paul Rule"
Well all know the NCAA is an organization filled with corrupt morons. Every day there seems to be another story of how the NCAA can’t get out of their own way and is just the worst, and that was obviously the case last week when they came out with their new idea for NBA agents which everyone dubbed the Rich Paul rule. Basically everyone with a brain could tell that the NCAA is not thrilled with how Rich Paul and Klutch sports has changed the basketball world. More and more we’re seeing people sign with Klutch and avoid college all together, as is the case with Darius Bazley who skipped college and just got drafted in the first round this past June. It’s not a route for everybody, but there’s no arguing that Rich Paul is distrupting the system and taking players and money from the NCAA. Obviously they don’t like that so they came up with a rule where one of the criteria to become an NBA agent was a Bachelors degree. Coincidentally, the only NBA agent who doesn’t have one is…..Rich Paul.
Everyone with a brain immediately saw what the NCAA was doing and rightfully called them out on their bullshit, but we hadn’t really heard from Rich Paul himself. LeBron spoke up
and he was hardly the only one
and finally, today, Rich Paul broke his silence with an op ed in The Athletic about the whole situation. Hate the man if you want for the shady shit he may do to help his #1 client in LeBron James, but there is no denying he is the most powerful man in basketball and his rise to prominence should be commended. I have to say working my way through the letter, it’s kill shot after kill shot. Here were some of my favorite parts
Requiring a four-year degree accomplishes only one thing — systematically excluding those who come from a world where college is unrealistic. Does anyone really believe a four-year degree is what separates an ethical person from a con artist?
If the NCAA thinks this whole thing is to protect the players, how do you respond to that one? I mean Rich Paul could have just dropped the mic right there. Pretty sure all those corrupt assholes of the NCAA have a four year degree, and they are shady as hell. It doesn’t make them more equipped or more ethical just because they have a piece of paper. I loved this dig too
Unfair policy is introduced incrementally so people accept it because it only affects a small group. Then the unfair policy quietly evolves into institutional policy. I’m not sure what the technical term is for that because I didn’t finish college but I know it when I see it.
When I was in college I learned WAY more about the real world I was about to enter through my internships (shouout Intellievent) than I did in any classroom where I definitely wasn’t paying attention. Which is why Paul makes another irrefutable point
There’s another practical reason that this rule doesn’t make sense. Respectfully, how do four years studying sports marketing in a classroom make you more qualified to represent a kid than working at Klutch Sports Group or for an NBA front office; or at any other entrepreneurial business for that matter? All this will do is exclude the agents whose life experience helps them understand the needs of many of these players best.
If you want to be an agent and you have the option of going to work at Klutch or sit in a Sports Management 101 class that you just took because it was an easy credit that you needed for your GPA, which do you think prepares you better? I’d love to know what the NCAA says.
It’s pretty clear that the rich white dudes of the NCAA hate the fact that this guy came in and messed with their system and they are determined to not have another “Rich Paul” like agent in the future. That’s what this rule says to me and it’s pretty fucking pathetic. Not that we should be surprised since the NCAA is the absolute worst, but what they don’t realize is all this is going to do is inspire more elite players to skip college, and hopefully inspire other people to chase their dream like Paul did.
Oh, and it’s going to be hilarious when Rich Paul enrolls in classes at a blue blood program and just scoops up all the best players for Klutch. We all know that’s how this ends.