Rich Paul Settles LeBron vs Jordan Debate & Details Conversation With LeBron To Return To Cleveland

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Shannon new customers can bet just $5 on. anything and get $200 instantly in bonus. bets only draft King sports book with. code Shannon the crown is yours is the. Jordan LeBron debate ever going to end. it ain't going to end but Brown's a. go all my life grinding on my life. sacrifice hustle price want a slice got. the roll of dice that's why all my life. I've been grinding all my life all my. life been grinding all my life.

sacrifice the price a slice got the r. dice that's why all my life been. grinding all my. [Music]. life hello welcome to another edition of. Club sh Shay I am your host Shannon. sharp I'm also the proprietor of Club sh. and the guy that's stopping by for. conversation on the drink today is one. of the most powerful figures in sports. he's a self-made super agent founder CEO. of clutch Sports his agency represents. over 200 athletes in multiple leagues. he's NE NE iated over $4 billion in.

contracts he's an entrepreneur a. businessman and he's from the east side. of Cleveland to the top of the Sports. World his newest Memoir Lucky Me A. Memoir of changing the odds Rich Paul. Rich how you doing bro this is three no. don't even start go ahead tell go ahead. tell your story go ahead I've been. trying to get on Club sh Shay and you. skipped over everybody but your dog but. it's cool don't worry about it you know. what you know I got my old Brandon KAC I. sent you a bottle I I know you got it.

it's on my shelf yeah yeah uh you didn't. let me in an investment but it's fine I. Ain going don't worry about it to come. to get to where you got to come to where. you came from and do it in the class and. the manner in which you done it and to. help those coming behind you to show. them I did it you can do it cheers bro. cheers thank. you let's let's start with the book luy.

Me A Memoir of changing the odds why was. it important for you to write this. book I think it's important because we. need as many positive examples positive. examples that we as as we can today and. often times it it doesn't have to come. in a figure it can come in a a storyline. a shared experience and so this book is. lucky me but it's really about us this. is a gift from me.

to to you in terms of whether you youth. where you came from a certain Community. it I think everyone aligns with it the. people that been that has been reaching. out and the comments that I've been. getting from all people I was in the gym. this. morning a man came up to me he had to be. 70 years old and he just was you know he. was just fled by the story and and he. was just like man you know just more. blessings to you I think that impact is.

really helpful right and for me I didn't. know how much I actually needed to write. the book I was withholding that trauma. that I went through for all those years. and I didn't find out that I needed to. release that until I was writing the. book right and so for me it's not. necessarily about sales Etc if I can. help one person change the perspective. that.

I started here I'm going through this. right now but I see an example of. somebody who also went through some of. the same things and I don't have to. finish here I don't have to give up hope. on my life I don't have to give up hope. on an opportunity that lies ahead I can. take little bits and things of what I do. have not so much focus on what I don't. have but let me focus on what I do have. and make the best of that just to get to. the next step in life is what I deemed. important today and so I'm ecstatic for.

you to to get through it all I know you. touched on some of it but you know it's. it was I haven't been able to get. through the whole book bits and pieces. obviously because it's just such an. emotional roller coaster for me but as. we were writing it and as I was you know. just going telling it telling it I did. the audio book which was extremely. emotional and at the end I'm not going. to spoil it for you but at the end I I. you know I I I do something for my.

mother right and uh it's tough in the. book you mentioned that your dad owned a. corner store convenience store you. worked in the store so by that stretch. of the imagination you kind of you kind. of get or Rich I mean you got a little. convenience store you know well we felt. like that but that wasn't the truth okay. because you got to. remember so the the store was my was my. Savannah State okay okay that's where I. got my curriculum mhm that's where it.

was at right but I also just I learned. math I learned uh customer service I. learned marketing but the most important. thing I learned was people right because. there's all walks of life coming into. that store and you know through the. course out through the throughout the. course of their day their energy is. different you know so you had to be able. to balance certain things I had to learn. this at a very young age everybody's not. happy everybody's not sad somebody had a. bad day yeah and they're problem became. your problem I had to watch my father.

navigate his way through this to make. margins on bosted baked beans and. cigarettes and beer and wine that's not. those aren't big margins you understand. what I'm saying but yet and still his. approach to opening that store every. morning how he treated people whether. you had a dollar or $100 was important. and he explain to me and there's a. chapter in his book um where where we. talk about just having the empathy for.

others where he taught me that this is. your family this is these customers. these consumers this is it's important. to take care of them right and to treat. them a certain way. and it really affected my life and. really shaped me right because I learned. stuff from a textbook but my education. came from that store right I think the. thing is rich is that empathy I. think empathy is being able to divorce.

your ego set aside your ego and see. yourself as someone else and I think. when people would like circumstances. it's easier to have empathy because your. dad saw himself he's like I ain't really. rich so he saw himself as some of these. poor less fortunate Le have less having. yeah than others and so he could. empathize so was he that type of store. oner that hey Mr Paul how you doing. today hey M hey hey uh Savannah hey hey. Ricky hey Johnny Miss sharp sent you.

down there little Shannon yeah you don't. got a dime in your pocket but you need. bread right you need soap need toilet. paper well miss sharp sent you that's. all he needed to know Miss sharp sent. cuz she already called before you got. there right you understand what I'm. saying so now when you get there and. then you may be standing there looking. and he may say what you want boy you. said man can I have some of them uh. Cherry Clans yeah go ahead take it you. know and so that that. exchange now you become Shannon now you.

Shannon from such and such now here come. Lil Rich you feel what I'm saying how my. dad treated. Shannon Miss Sharp's grandson at that. moment and now you're Shannon you get. what I'm saying save my life in a lot of. ways and people don't understand that. and so my dad would always tell me you. once a man twice a child and I never. understood what that meant and then he. explained it to me right around the age.

on the cover of that book and he said as. you climb as you born a child you grow. to become a man as you get older you. start to become a child again and how. you treated people as a man will have a. direct correlation of how they treat you. as you become a a child again and that. always stuck with me and I come from a. place where your money didn't matter. right that don't matter. who you are at your core is what matter.

and so. despite my successes I always carried. that with me even into the. representation business which you and I. both know as a former. player that don't exist right and so I. brought that with me and I it's and it's. it's extremely important and I live with. that every day I read in the book and it. seems to me one of your proudest moments. is that the family was struggling you. didn't have a whole to eat and you go.

ask your uncle and he gives you $20 out. of the register and you go and you go. and hit a lick and you were able to go. buy bread you able to go buy deli meat. we call it lunch meat in the South y'all. call call lunch me too call me I'm. coming from Jones BR Arkansas okay okay. so we call it we call it we call it so. you were able to buy some things and at. that moment it dawned on you like man it. made you feel good I can provide.

did was that the moment that you saw cuz. we all have a purpose yeah same thing. happened to me when I would get paid I. would buy I would you give my. grandmother $10 or the $40 that I made. it wasn't much but it helped by. something Absolut from that moment on. I've been a provider my entire life my. job is to provide for my family was that. the moment that you said you know what. Rich Paul is a provider yeah because me. my brother and sister I got two older. sisters and older brother the youngest.

but my older sister Brandy and my my. older brother moo we live together right. so my mom wasn't there okay my dad had. his. family and so there was plenty of times. where it was no one there so we had to. do things as a collective how much older. are they than you my brother's three. years old and my sister 5 years old okay. but you know 7 and 12 and that's that I.

mean you know that's that's a big jump. in terms of responsibility right yes and. so I watch my sister babysit other. people's kids and then you know take her. money and I would go to the mall with. her that's how I learn fashion my sister. taught me about cloes she she made that. bug bite me for clothes and all that and. then I watched my brother do what he had. to do and so I had to play my part and. so when I I was able to do so like.

you're saying whether it was that. whether it was shooting jump shots and. not having no money and had to make it. to win and going to to to get the you. know I used to buy the juice the lunch. meat cuz my mother taught us how to do. this cuple pound of lunch meat the juice. and then we would get the bread or. whatnot you said you going through the. juice too quick so I had to get koola. Kool-Aid exactly I had to get the. Kool-Aid CU it was going too fast we had. to stretch it you know and so and so but. but when I when I I felt like you said I. felt good as a young kid and I'm going.

to I went to a school called Upson in. ukl Ohio okay I'm in the fourth grade. and I remember this adding. to the cause in the fourth grade and I. didn't have nobody to to say to you you. better be going to school it was a. decision that I had to make that I. wanted to make at a very young age and. so did my siblings but there was also. times to where I used to walk the. parking lot we had a it was a place. called The Americana my had a little we. call the honeycomb hideout he had a.

little honeycomb hide that we had to. take over right because we had nowhere. to go but I would walk and pick up a. quarter here a dime here and it was a. little bar next to the another apartment. complex called The Horizon house back. then it was a little bar in Grill and. they would have these cheeseburgers and. you and as a kid you can go in there. before a certain time and order from the. grill and the do you know and that and. and that's how I would eat some days you. know and so all those things though.

shape me I don't look at that as a. negative thing and it was a struggle but. I didn't know it as much right cuz I. didn't know anything per se different. and with and because everybody around. you was probably going through the same. thing you didn't think you were any. different cuz everybody else was. struggling too because you know what. separates you at that point you could be. struggling and have a new pair of shoes. on yeah right and it elevated you so. those things I always had things right.

but what I didn't have is that family. infrastructure that consistency in the. household I didn't have that but what I. was able to control I controlled just. because I didn't have X didn't mean I. was going to sit in class and be a dummy. I wasn't going to follow the class. clowns I wasn't going to do abacadaba on. my test just because you know I wanted. to be in school I didn't want to miss. school and that showed a lot about me as. a person. the things didn't make me that was you.

know cuz I can makeshift my sister. taught me how to makeshift things where. you can go to TJ Maxx and get a Ralph. Lauren it may be a little. defective you know and and and wear just. the same and so I learned those little. things to feel good cuz you know when. you don't have much especially back then. the littlest things elevated you make. the biggest difference right and so that. was that was important to me but I also.

knew then the. responsibility of right from wrong at. that at that point and that's what I was. about to get to um you said okay I'm a. hustler I roll dice trying to hit a lick. shoot pool I shoot jump jumpers. hor Casino race whatever you wanted to. do bet you didn't want to do but you. didn't go the a lot of times kids like. well I didn't really have a choice so I. had to go this route you never. not then when I made those choices I.

understood because I had the influence. in front of me so I sat on the porch. until was when I jumped off the porch it. was because of Survival cuz you know. when you have an entrepreneurial Spirit. In The Hood what's your options right. what's your what's your real opportunity. right the lady who took that picture we. called her picture lady she would that. was her that was her her hustle she. would had a Polaroid and she would come. on the Block and she turned our best.

outfits into. pictures that was Art she could have. been Dena Lawson that was Art she could. have been uh she that could have been. Instagram but nobody's com nobody. recognize what she was doing and. recognized the business of it and say to. her you ever thought about this and let. me invest in that everybody on the right. of me had a hustle everybody on the left. of me had a Hustle the person in front. of me had a hustle and the person. backing me had a hustle there's no.

careers there's no great job there's no. equity positions you get what I'm saying. there's no VC there's none of that I. didn't even know what that meant you. understand what I'm saying and. so understanding what it means today is. different but when I look back on. it the only difference between me or. someone like me and anybody else in the. world that has been an innovator a. genius uh uh you know created something.

and built it and grew it they had the. opportunity the option and someone. willing to support we don't have that so. we had to turn to what was placed in our. environment now some people did it and. they did it with malice they did it with. whatever that was never me my intent was. always I always tried to find the right. even within doing wrong that makes sense. yeah what's the most money you like roll.

you say you like rolling dice so what's. the most you you made in a day and the. most youve lost when what age cuz see. cuz see you got to understand so what. age did you start rolling dice about. seven or eight see my dad taught me the. the reason why my dad taught me how to. he taught me and my siblings how to. gamble shoot Dice and play cars it. wasn't from a gambling perspective it. was from a survival perspective because. he said to us these are the tools these. are exact words these are the tools that.

would allow you to get from here to here. if you get laid off on this job to get. to the next job you're going to need. some time to get by here's some things. you can do right to get by I turned it. into my job you know because I I I got. infatuated with it you know and and and. so cuz it's quick easy money cuz you see. cuz Hey every rooll money's moving and. and that's the thing and every and so I. and so my dad would take me to the.

family Union and you know once the drink. you the cousins and the uncles up oh. come on rich I beat Grandma to money it. don't matter oh come on for real you. beat granny you took granny money you. don't granny take the money out the. bosom she Ain got like5 I beat your. grandma out the money my grandma out the. money whoever got the money I want I'm. beating about the money you have to. worry about that cuz that's what it was. there's no when you start gambling there. is no age limit when you if you got. money you in play you in the game you in.

play soon as you put that money and they. know oh I didn't mean to do that cuz you. know and when we was back in the day we. used to catch the doar oh yeah yeah we. had to cut that out because you know. somebody doing this they catch it 15. times you see what I did I did I did. like this man what. you what you talking about so that. Universal man that be on some that we so. we so when I was young we totally cut. catching out okay there's no more. catching right now that does number of. things it opens the game up it speeds it.

up but then you got the Slickers comany. right so now you have to match that. sickness so now it's it's it's it's it. was you know it's a free free-for all so. we had spots right and so the best way. for me to equate it. Dupont was like Madison Square Garden or. the Staple Center that's where all the. everybody was those the big game that. was the big game the average role in. that game was probably about $1,000 a. row wow you know and it's and it's the.

who's who you know everywhere so when. you so as a young kid being allowed to. be in that game you know that's like a a. rookie starting that's like a rookie. making all NBA team but you know Rich. when that kind of money is involved. people got them things on them they got. them switches well we they a't had that. back. then no no but that was necessary but. you know that cuz you know cuz you know. money. money does stay to people especially if.

I lose a big hand yeah but but I'm going. tell you something about these specific. areas and every now and then you had. issues but not like it would be today. there was a lot more respect right but. back then it was just different because. again when I talk about the who's who. there ain't even no conversation that's. no go period you knew that that was a. you know it was a respect and a rapport. and but at the same time you know it it. was things that got a little chippy here.

and there but it started with these you. got you yeah you wasn't doing you you. but again but we had so we had the Hut. the Hut wasn't the Hut was like you know. the Hut was like the United Center right. and then Forest Hill Pool see at Forest. Hill pool that was again that's like the. Staple Center or the or or the or the. garden because that's where all. everybody come there man they in their. diamon with the voges on them they. Porsches they got the gator sandals on.

with a fresh pedicure they pop it down. this what I come up on so as a kid I'm. seeing guys Pop the trunk with they got. a case of Don perryon so as we get older. when we get 14 15 I didn't even drink. but that's what we wanted right they my. friend case is a moette case is a dime. you know going to blueo for dinner and. stuff like that as young men cuz we cuz. we're hanging with 45y old men that's. teaching us this and so I was never.

really allowed to be a child per. se but the game was given that's why the. seat I sit in today I got to get a game. because it was given to. me been to a have a dice game recently. no you you don't have dice cuz you know. some some players like to play cards and. you know with their buddies now you. can't have outside cuz they going to try. to sleep they going to bring the Crooked. dice up the loed dice that that that. that roll to 10 4 all day I would love. to in a in an environment because you.

know you like to be in the barber shop. you like to be you know we just love. that part of but it's just two dangerous. I won't do it today but but amongst. friends if they would but now all my. friends they need their back yeah so you. can't be you know you can't be you can't. be shooting that for eight hours cuz you. know we they they got to go out and. score 45 you know you can't do that so. it's it's a different Dynamic now but. they love it right you know but but. again but just the house the gambling. house the characters within the gambling.

house the teachings within the gambling. house see we had to learn by losing. that's how we learned by losing these. kids today they want to skip every step. in the process and it don't work just. win win win no it don't work they want. to take it you know eventually yeah for. for sure you was raised by your. grandparents and you said that when in. the book I read in the book where you. went to live with your grandparents your. granny was really strict most. grandparents are m. detail you like all kind of like like.

damn well was the first time I ever had. my own. room when I moved my grandma Johnny may. it was the first time I ever had my own. room right you know and I'm looking. around I can't believe it but it's me. it's Johnny my grandma Johnny may my. grandma Camp my uncle Charlie now they. are these are on my father's side my. great. grandmother all she ate was Wrigley's. gum. so when I would come home from my dad's.

store she she ate spearmint big not big. red cuz it was too hot right spear mint. uh double minint and uh Juicy Fruit cuz. it was no winter Fresh then yet and my. grandma Paul the only thing she ate was. Peanut. M&M's my uncle Charlie went to see his. girlfriend one one day out the week he. leave at 10:00 on Tuesday he come back. at 11:00 on Wednesday he wear white. shirt dirt. hat Stacy Adams you could eat off the.

car was so clean but he was so detailed. at 10 o00 don't matter what the game the. game could be in overtime when that. clock Strike 10 o00 if you sitting. outside my house you can see him going. up the stairs to get into bed this is. what so I know I don't use alarm clock. right now to this day because my. grandmother get up every day at 3:30 in. the morning bathe my her mom then she go. downstairs and you know do what she need. to do she she washing and she cooking at. the same time then I get up at 5:30 my.

dad's picking me up we open the store at. 6:00 that was my routine every morning. wow you say your mom struggled with. addiction when you were a. child um what impact did that have on. you not having her the mother we know. what the mother brings to the family. yeah the matriarch what did what did. that do to a Young. Rich loss of emotion and Bar V ability. you know because you in order for you to.

love something you have to allow. yourself to be vulnerable I had to wipe. that out. because it affected me in a way in which. I love my mother loved my mother when. she was. around life for the party you could. smell the food coming from down the hall. oh you would have been you you would. have been so overweight oh my God cakes. pies chocolate pie cherry pie peach. cobbler banana pudding I mean it would. the work it was unbelievable.

unbelievable but you know I didn't have. that cons I'm only getting that for two. three days at a time I may I may be. without it for six months six seven. months at a time and I just had to to. understand my and the way my dad put it. to me it was a sickness so I had to just. understand it and move on but it was. tough you know because parent teacher. conference I look in the stands I'm at. my games homecoming you know whatever. the case may be she ain't there but I'm. always I was always in somebody else's.

car with their parents or at somebody. else's house with their parents you know. holidays and things like that it was. always that and. so it could break you but it didn't. break me mentally I was able to overcome. it and you would never know you would. never know what I was with what you. dealing with oh you would never you. would never know that because I didn't. wear it on my jacket you said earlier. that some of the things that when you. started writing this book you didn't.

realize how much trauma you had endured. and as you started to write it became. very emotional and then the audio books. it really audio portion it really. started was this the main reason why. yeah because you know you reliving those. moments you get extremely emotional you. know I lost both of my parents at such a. young age 19 and 36 lost my mom at 36. lost my dad at. 19 and you know just reliving those.

moments man it's tough and I know what. kids go through today because there's. you could be my dad wasn't present but. he was present right he didn't live me. but he was present my mother wasn't. there but I had so much respect for her. that the time I did get to spend with. her I spent it it was never a place of. didn't I never came from a place of. anger yeah I never came from a place of. disrespect and by the way even if I. wanted to come from a place of. disrespect my mother could throw down so. she ain't going for that.

anyway you going to get your lip flat. fat for sure so but I never even came. like that you understand what I'm saying. and so but when I was writing the book. and especially when I was doing the. audio book when I got to the end where I. write this message to my mom it really. choked me you only get one mom man it. you get one mother and I try to explain. that to my clients today the way our. industry is. today sometimes it becomes a joust.

amongst families and it's very important. for everyone within the family to have. perspective and to have Clarity the. agent for many years had a black cloud. over that title that was considered. somebody that was shady or somebody that. was it was a gray area there. I wanted to change that the the the.

fortunate thing is I have been able to. change it somewhat the unfortunate thing. has been and we talked about it is that. you still wake up every day I can't. change the color of my. skin. and as tough as it is with the. industry we make it even tougher on. ourselves because there's still a. competition and don't get me wrong when. you when you going out recruiting. clients yeah you're competitive so but.

there's a but you're not speaking ill. you're not speaking negatively on. someone and that's the thing to the best. to to the best man win best man woman. win the job so I'm not but I'm not going. to say oh this person is this that. person is that to try to conjure up so. the the the the the athlete feel some. type of way yeah yeah you hey this is. what I can provide this is what I. believe I'm the best man for the job my. agency and I think we can do the best. job for you moving forward and that's.

the point I was making when we talked. about it when we when we did first take. the point I was making was of course I. didn't. expect white agents to help to try to. help me that that didn't that wasn't. even an expectation right right but. coming from where I came from the game. was given by the older guys right. whether you decided to digest it or not. was on you but I can't sit here and say. that my coil wasn't pulled to certain. things to help me get through the day.

get through the the month get through. the year of survival so that's all I. know I only I got to give that fact when. I started that wasn't the case and I. seen people online like oh well you. didn't say I'm like you're missing the. point right did you reach out did you I. I mean I don't need to call any names. but did you reach out to any age uh when. I first started the business I talked to. everybody cuz I wanted to understand why. why are things the way they are and what. I came to understand is ain't no.

different in the. block every man for themselves that's a. that's a that that that has been placed. upon us from a thought process but what. happens is when you create those that. psychology it stunts the growth it. stunts the communication habits it. stunts I should have came up under. something that was already built right. that's normally how it happens agency. they normally come up in a big agency. and then they Branch out on their own.

you started differently you started out. on your own start I started differently. I I started at a place but I don't even. count that because there was no. education there there was no there was. no plan for me to become who I am. today but what I started to realize is. oh you you know we work in a small. industry so things get back yes the only. difference is the kid on the cover of. that book in that environment when. things get back oh we had H we pulling.

up you get what I'm saying in this. industry when someone goes and and and. speaks about you in a very derogatory. way for two. hours ain't that much to say now the. business is the business competition is. in all business but when you make it. personal that's a different Dynamic like. primes you made it personal right but. but we couldn't do that I I you know I. it's not in me I couldn't be trying to.

talk to a girl and mention. Shannon we don't that's no go where we. don't we don't do that and so but I'm in. this game. where I left a game that was being. played with no rules and no rest but you. understand that yes but in the corporate. setting it really ain't no there's. rules but the refs are assigned to The. Establishment in a lot of cases I had to. learn that I had to learn narratives I. had to learn how media works I had to.

learn all these things and I also had to. learn that the smiles is not really the. smiles but I was used to that because I. came from that so I was I was prepared. thoroughly for the position I'm in today. it's just that it's hard for me to. respect it that's all football season is. well underway the baseball postseason is. here new basketball and hockey seasons. are punnished while we love watching our. favorite teams on television there's. nothing better than than being at the. game live and in person and I think I. know a little something about that the.

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10 depending on the year if you talking. about. ages seven if you talking. about age seven hold up age seven to 12. I was about a eight cuz everybody is. just got a same about eight or nine. everybody same height same eight same I. got the tape go look at the tape I got. the tape pull the tape we won we won. that we won the city Championship I won. MVP I did the interview I thank my team. everything okay but then once I got into.

High School it changed but it also. changed cuz I didn't put in the work see. I'm down at the hut they gambling I'm. missing some you know we got a big dice. game and we got a summer league game at. uid I show up at half time that ain't. right man but I you know I'm down 4500. man I got to get back got to get my get. back got to get my L back I had to but. so I just took the bid with the sweet I. understood it right but I talk about. this me not starting on my team didn't.

discourage me from being a part of the. team I was a part of a great team I had. great teammates and I was on the second. Team every day in practice and we made. the first team work right sometimes we. would beat the first team sometimes I. would get in the game sometimes I. wouldn't get in the game at all right. and I look up in the stands I still my. brother there some di nobody in my. family really cared about sport but my. brother would be there sometimes my dude. would be there off the block sometimes.

and support but it was okay because I. understood my position I understood my. role but when we leave out this locker. room now it's my turn to be the man. right and that's all fair shame never. been no robbery you know what I'm saying. it's all it's all good so you had after. the game you headed back down to the. block go check the things we head it. somewhere you know I may have some if my. dudes came to the game they didn't come. to the game for the game they came to. the game cuz where we going after the. game yeah and we would go down certain. places but but I respected my teammates.

you know we we and and I enjoyed it I. played against Mike gansy who's a um. he's GM of the cast now okay um a lot of. guys we played against Steve Logan CL. Sam Clancy a lot of guys that was that. was top guys we love it we love the game. we played same he played football right. his dad okay his son played for USC they. played for a team called St Edwards I. went to Cleveland Benedict but Glenville.

was my neighborhood high school that was. pretty good J yeah but on the basketball. side was pretty good uh we play with. same St V St Mary every year we had a we. had a big time schedule I want to and. I'm really close with uh a family in. Columbus the shatenstein family in. Columbus and we I want the last state. championship in St John's and the first. state championship in the shot on Ohio. State's campus M you know and so when.

you when you plan in it you don't know. and then you meet the family whose name. is on the arena you know all these. things just how life takes you but I was. a I was a pretty good athlete I will say. this and laugh if you want to I'm one of. the best Shooters though even still to. this day and I'd take my chance if I was. in the one of 450 I'd be at the top this. guys like me Steph clay Kay who Thompson. who gonna be. dang this man talk about he shoot like.

you talk if you just talking. shooting this is the class I'm in y'all. going down to the gun range that kind of. shooting oh you talking about basketball. into a rim Trey Darius Garland I'm just. talking about guys in the league right. now that shoot the three really well I. be among oh no I'm saying you I would be. amongst the we was having a good see we. was having a good old interview I mean. it was going well I really the story. that you was telling cuz it's very. similar to mine. but I'm talking about in terms of I. didn't say dribbling playing I said.

shooting that's all I said the mere fact. that you put in yourself. rich well if you talking Legends you got. to throw Reggie in there and Ray it's. all of. us my point is you putting yourself in. that group that I ain't got no problem. with the names you mentioned it's just. the fact that your name is in there in. terms of shooting I don't care what it. is well yeah I feel good about it and I. ain't drinking I'm not drinking no Yak. I'm drinking water. no you should drink some more cuz you. too sober to be saying something like.

that I need a reason why you say some. like that I'm sorry when you. say some Poli like that well I'm just. telling the truth I put it this way you. know when two men got discrepancy what's. the next. word bet exactly that's. all that's okay that's the only way for. you to find out I want you to tell the. people what you told us before we came. on there I said you play sports you like. you know we'll getting into that so yeah. I'm football I can run some routes go. ahead yeah I was a good route Runner I.

played every position man but I'm not. saying I was the best cuz I was I'm the. first to say to you no I was not the. best on my team I wasn't the best on any. team I ever played on but you know what. I was great at leadership having. perspective okay right coring the guys. helping them understand the moment what. needs to take place my practice habits. I'm leading the leading the team when we. running the. laps I can respect that cuz I was.

expecting you to come out here and say. yeah man I could if I have grew like. another five or six I probably could. have played NFL no we don't do no one. thing about it you got we don't do no. bunch of lying we don't do no bunch of. ly a no need me getting talking about no. lying cuz cuz all somebody gonna do is p. up the. tape so I don't need you to none of that. no right so. College High School you did what you. like you said you weren't no dummy no. pretty smart very smart attentive in.

class make sure I got my homework. because at that point in time in high. school did you know kind of the. direction that you wanted to go in when. you became an adult at all not at all. not at all I thought I was going to be a. pro until my father told me I wasn't in. ninth grade I read in the book that you. said you used to like drinking coffee I. did and then your dad told you that. coffee sted your growth and you stopped. but you might have stopped a little bit. too late cuz yeah I was drinking black. drinking the coffee black yeah but do. you later realize that coffee don't.

stret a growth we I didn't know what to. believe you know they can you know ice. cream back then anything I didn't know. what to believe and you started drinking. tea so you're in you're in high school. you you graduate high school what's Rich. Paul's Next. plan I wanted to go to college I did go. to college I went to college and my dad. was still. alive my dad stressed education so much. I just wanted to further my education. nobody my family went to college right. so I I went to college and I did. everything on my own I remember pick.

picking the college I wanted to go to. going to guidance counselor you know. going to my uh you know my uh. orientation right and seeing the dorm. and all that I had no my my Dad or Mom. didn't come on this stuff with me I did. it by myself you know and um but. unfortunately my my my freshman year. college uh around September my dad got. sick my dad got really sick and I. remember the conversation I had with my. dad because I was talking to him about. some books I had to order and he had.

this this attitude about it and my dad. never had an attitude about. education but he didn't tell me anything. my Uncle Joe had to tell me what was. going on and my you know my sister and. so and it and it just it just happened. so fast and so I had to transfer to be. closer to my dad and I would that's when. I went to Cleveland State and then um. man it be some days I'll be driving to. the class and I would just turn around. and go sit with my dad cuz I didn't know.

how long I was going to have with him. right you know and that was a tough. tough thing for me how did you balance. that knowing. that that death is on the horizon for. you yeah while all the way but I still. gotta live yeah my dad used to always. tell us though I ain't gonna be here. forever he used to tell us that my dad. didn't sugar coat anything cuz life. didn't sugar coat anything and the store. was on that corner and when you stepped. on that corner you was a part of the. environment and so at that time Anything.

could happen right and so that's how he. prepared us and so it was tough though. it was tough but um I got through it but. it was it was it was tough but I I I'm. glad I did spend those days and some. days I would just go and just sit next. to his bedside you know you say I read. where you said that the streets was your. more house was your Harvard that the. knowledge that you got to deal with. people in business on a corporate level. on on higher side now all that.

information you didn't get from books. you didn't get from a college you got it. from the streets and dealing with people. in the streets dealing with people in. your dad's convenience yes yeah. because to me and that's why when they. brought up the rich Paul rle I didn't. think that made any sense especially. working in the business that we work in. with the service industry you don't. learn how to service people from a. textbook you learn that through. experience right and when I was out. there that was my experience at my dad's. store dealing with people seeing the.

pitfalls and challenges and I realized. something you can learn so much from. from someone telling you their. failures cuz everybody want to know. what's what should they be do successful. but you also should want to know what. you shouldn't be doing it's so much in. in to learn from what not to do and so. that's how we learn we had had to learn. the Silhouettes of people we had to. learn cars we had to learn how to just.

diffuse uh situations like I talk about. my friend cactus in this in the book and. it was a situation this my friend he. live on the next Street Edmonton. Woodside and I told the story not. because today me and currently he's. incarcerated but when he get out not. because we we won't be friends because. we we were friends but as a young black. man you you don't always understand how. to. communicate right you don't want to be.

judged because you always are being what. judged and so what that does is it. causes you to. act even despite you not wanting to act. a certain way so I tell this story about. what what took place with us and I had. to understand the position that he was. in and I had to Pivot so therefore he. wouldn't be in a position where he had. to act even on something he probably. would have regretted down the road right.

and so that's all I was the reason I. told that because it's the same way. today. everybody's everybody's committing. things an act because they don't want to. be judged or they don't they don't know. how to communicate something to someone. else and so you know two a two- minute. decision cost them 20 years of their. life right and we it's too much of that. how did you. decide to go into the line of work that. you're currently in it was organic I.

love sports I love fashion I love people. um I played the game I watched every. game I played every sport did taekwon do. box gymnastics football baseball. basketball and uh all my friends played. Sports for the most part and then I had. another half that you know we was kind. of split down the middle and. so as I you know as I was getting into. the Jersey business I'm selling the.

jerseys again it's just Sports and. culture is all the same like it. intersects and I never planned on being. an agent but I always had this ability. to connect with people I knew the game I. know the game I could talk football I. could talk basketball I could talk. baseball right and. so as I started to see what represent. looked like I started to understand that. it was in a lot of ways it was surface.

deep there was a perception that the. agent should look like this and then. from that perception there was an. opportunity given to. others right and so now that game was. started to be played your agent has to. look like this there was a narrative. that it has he had to be a lawyer or. whatnot and then. on the flip side they have a. relationship with the shoe company or.

whatever and the shoe company. understands the players coming in they. know what they have and what they don't. have they giving that information to one. or two or three individuals only and. then here they come and because. of because of the perception of them and. how they looked the families deem them. to be what educated better. position smart all these different.

things and then when I got Behind the. Walls I'm like. well that's Fool's goal because they. don't know our culture for sure so when. I'm doing a shoe deal if I have a. signature. athlete there's some things that you. need to know to better position that. person there's a reason why certain. decisions was made for certain athletes. because that that that representation. didn't know cool right right didn't know. culture but we tend to skip over that.

and not value certain expertise because. it's not packaged a certain way see this. is packaged when you look at the best. brands in the world their packaging. matters right our packaging. automatically was. discredited from day one so now I had to. work around that right. so started clutch you says okay I'mma do. this I'm gonna start my own company yeah.

what was your thought process behind. starting your own company I was so. motivated I was in a position. where you know you could just. feel when somebody trying to play you. and I wasn't that type of guy I was. never dependent of somebody I was always. I know how to get on my own yeah. um and so it wasn't no challenge for me. to lead the agency I left and I and I.

wasn't really. like you know they would tell you oh it. was planned or repositioned like that's. all no it wasn't it wasn't. planned I had an. issue the issue wasn't being. resolved and often times when someone. quote unquote feels like they gave you. an opportunity you should forever be. indebted to them indebted to. them but I'm like no you can you could I.

mean I understand the idea of the. opportunity but it didn't it came. because I was somebody's friend we had. to we have to learn to start being a. slave to loyalty yeah and I'm like. somebody gives us an opportunity and we. feel forever indebted although things. are not going the way that they should. nah I appreciate the opportunity yeah. but but but my thing is. it you know the opportunity of of what. entirely you know what I'm saying.

because at the end of the day yeah. there's an opportunity but what's the. plan right there was no. plan the plan it's just all good as long. as somebody else is had I I never want. to be in that in that position and and. it was all good I played the role I. played the role and I. was doing my thing right I started to. get talent I started beating guys out. and I wasn't even a register agent and I. was beating guys out right and they.

didn't know how nobody really knew how. but I had a connectivity right and so. when I when I seen that I can actually. do. it I decided one and once I seen I can. actually do it and this didn't feel good. and I'm seeing what's transpiring I'm. like I'm out I it wasn't it wasn't a. plan it was May conversation. by by by August my mind was already.

made up regardless I and I didn't care. if LeBron stayed I didn't care who. stayed I was out and I had to and I had. the mentality that I was going to build. it it just so happened that they left. with me you appreciative of that you. know what you know I'm not breaking I'm. not interrupting your normally scheduled. programming to break news to you you. know what's being said you know what was. said mhm he got LeBron James so it. wasn't that he was good at what he does.

is that he just had the best player in. the NBA and everybody says okay if he. he's that LeBron trust him I'll trust. him also well that's BS because it. actually goes the other way in a lot of. cases it's it's more challenging at. least for me now when they have it or. have him or if you got this person it's. it's a different Dynamic you can use. your Client List and it's to your. benefit it's to your benefit but when. it's me and it's my client list or I got.

the the the Stars it's it's a detriment. that comes with that people don't. understand it's like oh you had LeBron. it should be easy no it's actually. harder you know why it's harder because. we come from a place where there can. only be one king our environment teaches. us to always be competitive there's no. collaboration there's no communication. you know there's no connectivity that's. there there's no compounding of anything.

so it actually becomes harder and by the. way I've lost clients because of this. the person next to them feel like. they're in competition with me so no I'm. not even in that space you're not in. competition with me the position I'm in. right now I could do anything for. anybody within reason and I want to do. that I'm not I'm not I'm not uh uh. competing with other agents I'm not. competing with young upand coming people.

that that have a a guy that want to be. positioned and empowered I want to. empower you but they're putting out. there oh well you know rich ain't going. to do this Rich a see for yourself I. don't need the peanut gallery see for. yourself and if there's a conversation. that makes sense and if it make business. sense then we can do business but at the. end of the day it's it's actually it. works the other for me it works against. you it works against you in a lot of. ways now in some cases it does work for. you don't get me wrong there when you.

when you have the the the talent that we. have at our. company you can't deny that but yet and. still. unfortunately we have to break down Psy. the psy. psychological barriers of oh I ain't I. learn I come from it when I was young. selling candy and pop and beer wine at. my dad's store some people chose not to. to patronize with us because in their.

mind if I spend my money with with Rich. then Little Rich get the. Jordans and I don't have them so God was. already preparing me for this position. I'm in now so when I see it it don't. even bother. me when do you. remember did you know who LeBron was. when you first met him and what was your. first impressions when you did meet him. yeah our high school's play against each. other every year yeah so myself and. Maverick We we played against each other. every year it's mandatory football.

basketball baseball our high school. played against each other every year Bri. wasn't yet Bron they had won before but. he was on the cover of Sports. Illustrated but I knew I know every kid. I knew every kid cuz I'm I go to games. all that um and my impression was he. asked me a question about what I had on. my energy was nice enough not because I. was looking for something in return. that's that's another thing our. environment teaches us if you give me. something I I get I got to get something. in return right that's why we never.

build anything that's why everyone wants. to be the talent because the talent. brings forth fortune and fame no one. ever thinks about building or no one no. one ever thinks about playing a. different role within the ecosystem a. physical therapist you know. analyst GM Etc there's a lot of roles to. play Within the ecosystem but that's not. the popular role to play and that's why. everybody can't be Shannon sharp just. just can't everybody ain't going to wear. that yellow jacket and go up and can but.

my jacket could be a different it may. not be yellow but that's for the Hall of. Fame but I got a jack it on right you. understand what I'm saying so that's. always been my mentality why is it such. a problem is that you know Phil Knight. Jeff Bezos you look at some of the. greatest men in in the world wealthiest. men in the world women have had someone. believe in them but it seems to be a. problem that LeBron I don't don't know. and and you don't have to to address. this I don't know if he invested money. but I know he invested an opportunity.

yeah LeBron never gave me a down and. that was the that's what they wanted to. put out there right but they didn't say. that about Jeff Schwarz they didn't say. that about Aron telum they didn't say. that about Mark bin they they didn't say. those things right right they what you. think happened with them did they just. what you think happened you get what I'm. saying and I respect those guys but but. that's not what's being said. you get what I'm saying when they have. the top player that player don't have to. own a piece of their business for them.

to represent him that player. representing them they're represented by. that that that player is represented by. that person because that person is. deemed to be capable of doing the job of. doing the. job same for. me same for me I want to know. this after d gber said what the hell he. said yeah he wrote what he wrote yeah. said LeBron quit put that thing up in. the paper how in the hell did you.

convince LeBron to take his ass back to. Cleveland. Legacy it's about Legacy man we come. from a place where two brothers shoot at. each other and sleep in the same. bed what we gonna what we gonna St that. for we gonna put that over your legacy. when you first told hey Brun check this. out bro for your legacy I think you. ought to go back to Cleveland with the. title what the braon say what was his. exact words to. you. he was. open-minded he was openminded but he. wasn't the first person I had a.

conversation I had to have a. conversation with you know we we close. so I Savannah and unow and MAV and Randy. we had a we talked about it and but this. was but again when you talk about this. is my job this is the role I play so. before you talked to Ron you talked to. Savannah you talked to Glo you talked to. m in addition to talking to the I talk. to everybody right um how did Savannah. feel. well no me me we've been down like four. fat tires for so she understood where I.

cuz I I have a perspective on it right. and I don't make it about me right what. I'm saying is in terms of Legacy right. right and we we we we identified the. talent that was currently on the team. and it wasn't about winning I didn't. know they was going to go to the finals. in the first year that was that was all. I was saying was There's an opportunity. and if you're able to. win it's a r right nobody forget.

anything else if you win a championship. for the city of Cleveland and the. Cleveland. Cavaliers I don't care what anybody get. on any. media uh platform and say it don't even. matter right from that point on it's all. uphill how receptive was his mom. Gloria coming from me she understood it. she understood and she gonna support. what he support right she understood it.

she like a mom to me so I when I come I. barely come but when I do I barely come. to the table with anything when I do. come to the table with something they. know it's serious cuz I'm not coming to. the table just for the sake of coming to. the table right I'm coming to the table. i' I thought this through I've. strategized it I you know it make. perfect sense and so on so forth what. and they allow me to do my job the. conversation of leaving Cleveland going. to La whose idea was that well the. conversation leaving Cleveland going La.

I mean I talked about this before and I. you know people just go crazy but the. conversation was pretty simple in terms. of what is it that you want to do if you. want to stay here let's stay here but if. you want to go. somewhere your brand is. here you only got so many options right. we wasn't going to New. York even though New York you know was.

was was an option was an option. um but ultimately he had already had a. place in. La and uh I had the opportunity of. spending a year here with because I had. kcp here and getting a better. understanding of the. organization magic and I talked a lot. knew Rob just through throughout the. years. and um his family wanted to be in LA and. so ultimately it became an easier choice.

but when we start doing the process of. elimination it's only there only so many. places to go and you know LJ gets bored. about things or what not and people take. that out of context but I'm just saying. in terms of and I said to him now the. only thing is we already you came back. from 3-1 you done brought a championship. you done been to eight straight finals I. think he went to eightth straight yeah. he went to eight straight four in Miami. four in Cleveland the you coming down. off that mountain top now you know when.

we when we go to La it's all about. championships but all you need is one. you don't need 15 cuz you not going to. have the time to do that but if you can. get. one you know and. um made a decision and and that was and. and that was it like it's. not again when I come to the table with. something. I don't come to the table that often so. when I do it it has some substance to it.

so what what is your take on the the the. the player empowerment we see players. being able to oh I'm not happy here I'm. going there I'm not happy there I'm. going somewhere else I'm not happy this. the James Harden situation what what's. your take on the Harden. situation well I mean in James's case I. think from what I understand about and. what he's said publicly um I know James. known him for a long time. it's a personal thing that he feels as. if something was was promised was.

positioned for him and it's different I. don't know if it's totally basketball. because I know James loved the game of. basketball um and you know there's. there's there's some things that. probably could have took place prior to. but that's up to them I don't represent. James you know but but yeah it's a tough. situation for him man but ultimately. when in these type of situations the one. thing that's very important that I think. people have to monitor and understand is.

your value right you want to keep your. value up and so you think about the. value coming from the extension that. could have been in Brooklyn to currently. now well he's never gonna get that money. we don't know where that where that is. Rich he not getting that money what was. it three for me to say I don't know. where it is I don't know but I'm just. saying I I I don't see it I don't I. don't see see him at at that age wanting. out of Houston wanting out of Brooklyn. wanting Out of Philly and somebody. trusting him to give him that money you.

represented a lot of guys and you get. close you build a relationship but how. hard is it for you to part ways with a. guy or guy says you know what man this. just it's not that hard if not no. because at the end of the day you have. to understand you're not going to be. able to please everybody and sometimes. we can work a very very thankless job. sometimes you could do everything right. and is not good enough because again our. athletes are being taught a certain way.

they're being. taught everybody should be doing stuff. for you for free they're being taught. that come play for my a team I'mma give. you this your your parents can fly on us. they can so now you. buildit when it comes to doing. business and and it's a talent right so. now if anybody has an entitlement to to. that Talent that's like the steering. wheel of the car so now well what are.

you doing he's scoring the points what. are you. doing we don't only work on July 1st we. work all year round but it's not looked. at like that so you have to start to. distinguish and yourself from who. actually values you and values your. expertise because treat me the same way. you treat that person sit behind the. counter at the Louis Vuitton cash. register ain't giving you no discount. you ain't coming to them you throwing. everything on the and you because it. costs more and it's a thing it's a.

statue thing you want to show that you. spent 200,000 at the store right but. then when it comes to someone who your. percentage they want to cut your your. percentage in half yeah that's that that. that don't make sense to me right but. but this is what's happening in the. space right and for those that. for those that lead with that because. there's a lot of companies that lead. with that they do it playing on the ego.

that I'm so good that they want to work. for Less right because I'm so. good but when you think about life. nothing else in life works like that if. you need heart surgery you you want. discount you are the best I'm just. asking you D no you got Club sha your. production crew you want you want to. just get some off the street no hell not. get but only in sports is where they can. feed the ego so much that it causes you.

to have bad business practice now people. may say oh you just saying that it's. self- serving no it's an anything. anything you do in life that's worthy. there's no shortcut to that right you go. up in her M you can't even buy Nothing. by the way you want to buy this is no. matter how much money you got you Ain. this is my point so that's what I'm. saying but you but but when they can't.

get it there they go and pay what double. and triple yes you get what I'm saying. they play over so that's I my thing is. just about respect I I mean I can't say. what other people do and don't do it's. just but for me it's just it's so it's. not that it's not that hard when if it's. not working out then it don't work out. I'm going to get you out of here on this. one and you're the closest to the story. so you would. know what is with the vitri all of the. older players towards LeBron it seems.

like and it seems like a lot of the old. players don't want to give these young. this younger generation the credit that. they deserve but it seems like a lot of. the eye is pointed at 23 why do you. think that is it's really corny to me I. absolutely and I like I said you know. when you out there you deal with certain. things it's it's it's layered in my. opinion you got to remember when the. Brian came in a lot of guys were still. in their Prime and all the attention. turned to him in 2000 since all the.

attention boom $100 million contract. real 100 million not that fluff that be. going out today I'm talking about a100. million contract never dribble NBA. basketball in NBA they never seen. nothing like that you know Jay-Z sending. the private jet when he sending high. school we going up to New York every. weekend every other weekend whatever. when you could you know what I'm saying. all these things they wasn't and so. quite naturally in the neighborhood you.

develop what. Envy it's it's it's much easier for you. to be like man that's some cold man. that's some That's player that's real. player man I appreciate that I'm a I'm. proud of you that's the hardest thing to. do the easiest thing to do is what they. do all this you know you have and then. now when you give that into a media. platform and now it's even trickling. down to some of the younger players you. just they purposely don't say his name. in things oh I played this because of.

these people but again if you everybody. didn't always had a mama mentality the. mama mentality came after Kobe was. really done then all of a sudden. everybody had the mama mentality because. the mama mentality everybody frowned. upon it because they say he was ball hog. yeah but when he was. playing cuz I was there we se he wasn't. hanging out with none of these. guys you know you get what I'm saying. but. I'm not surprised because I come from it.

I wish it was different but I'm not. surprised because I come from it but. what impresses me more is that. guy don't do unto those what they do to. him his door's always been open every. time you see somebody man what's up show. love Etc even when there's is it too. nice because too nice because because. Jordan gave the players he played it. with it but he like I am fooling with y'. Kobe really didn't fool you got to. understand some familiarity breed. disrespect and I tell him that.

sometimes they can walk past somebody. and don't even speak that make that. person want to speak to you more if you. speak to that person every time it. becomes and that's that's the treatment. that he gets sometimes you get what I'm. saying they get on Draymond for being. his friend it's craziness right right. but but but again this is this is not. about that's not a athlete thing that's. a people thing and that's why I said.

what I said when we were talking on. first take we have to break those site. I'm not going to do un to those others. as they done to me that's not just not. what I come from because you don't want. those habits created so is the Jordan. LeBron debate ever going to. end it ain't going to end but Bron's a. goat Jordan a goat but Bron's a goat one. got. one one one guy got gold horns the other. guy got Platinum horns. yeah might got a little platinum in his.

but like platinum and gold and then. Bron's all Platinum Lucky Me A Memoir of. changing the odds Rich Paul appreciate. it thank you thank you all my grinding. all my. safle the price a slice got the roll. dice that's why all my life been. grinding all my life all my life been. grinding all my life sacrifice hustle P. the price want a slice got the roll a. dice that's why all my life I've been.

grinding all my. [Music]. life.