Basketball's most talented forward is on the left

In a restaurant in Manhattan, with his briefcase aside, Richie Paul ate hamburgers and fried chicken. Zuo Li looked out the window. Christmas Eve was coming, and even the prosperous Manhattan seemed a little depressed. The shops on the street were closed.

90% of the price was paid, and even this Kaifeng restaurant was not easy for him to find.

"Eat slowly, man, it's not enough." Zuo Li has never eaten Kaifeng cuisine when he came to the United States. In the United States, a fast food country, the quality of Kaifeng cuisine is the worst. Except for the large quantity and low price, you can't find any of his dishes.

advantage.

But Rich Paul still ate very well. He finished a burger in three bites and swallowed a chicken drumstick in two bites. He looked really hungry.

While Rich Paul was anxious to fill his stomach, Zuo Li also recalled the memories of Rich Paul in his mind.

When he traveled back in time in his last life, Rich Paul was already one of the most influential agents in the NBA, a presence at the top of the pyramid. Many people compared him to Mendes in the basketball world, which shows his influence.

And Zuo Li naturally knew him because he was LeBron James's agent. In 2012, James fired his second agent, Leon Rose, who was very influential in the industry, and then worked with Rose for many years.

Rich Paul co-founded a player agency.

With the help of James, he continued to sign new stars and superstars. In the era when Zuo Li traveled through, he owned more than 20 stars, including James, Simmons, Davis, Thompson and many other big names. According to the annual 2.5%

With a commission share of -4%, Rich Paul earns at least about US$6 million a year from being an agent alone, not including his other businesses.

James' success is inseparable from the help of Rich Paul. As James's butler, Rich Paul not only handled James' off-court chores very well, but also helped James recruit a lot of reliable helpers.

In the business landscape of James in later generations, Rich Paul's figure is full of all aspects. It can be said that he is a rare talent, so that in future generations, when mentioning James, it is difficult not to mention Rich Paul, just like c

Like Luo and Mendes.

It is said that the meeting between the two is quite legendary.

The two met next to an airport in Ohio in 2002. At that time, Rich Paul was a vendor selling retro jerseys near the airport. By chance, the two met at the airport.

Rich Paul did not wear his usual polo shirt that day, but instead wore a jersey of legendary NFL quarterback Warren Moon. James, on the other hand, was wearing another famous quarterback Michael -

Vick's jersey. The final result was that James bought the jersey from Rich Paul, and Rich Paul and James left each other's contact information.

It is said that Rich Paul took out the jersey James wanted on the spot.

Afterwards, James introduced Rich Paul to his second agent Leon Rose's company, namely CAA, to learn experience and accumulate contacts.

By 2012, Rich Paul established his own agency klutch sports, and of course, James became his first client.

Everyone knows what happened next.

This made Zuo Li think about poaching. He has been struggling to find a suitable agent. In the NBA, it is difficult to find an excellent and suitable agent. Of course, he can learn from most players and rely on a well-known agent.

agent, but it’s hard to say what kind of protection you can get from there.

For example, Noel of the Thunder rejected the Mavericks' offer of 70 million over four years and insisted on a maximum salary of 130 million over four years.

As a result, he can only sign with the Thunder on a minimum salary next season, and as the season progresses, Noel shows signs of falling out of the team's rotation.

This was all based on the advice of his agent at the time.

A suitable agent is more important than anyone imagines. The NBA is both a sport and a business.

After Zuo Li traveled through time, of course he also thought about Rich Paul, but in Zuo Li's impression, Rich Paul met James in 2002, and he should be by James' side now. He has missed the best opportunity. Zuo Li

I didn’t think about it again.

Unexpectedly, he would meet here unexpectedly today, which made Zuo Li think about poaching people. Of course, he still needed to confirm some things.

"Sorry, I'm so hungry. I only drank a glass of ice water from Los Angeles." Rich Paul put down his bones embarrassedly, took out a tissue and wiped his hands. Looking at Zuo Li's half-smiling expression, he was filled with emotion.

Chibao cursed himself for being useless and almost forgot about the business. If he couldn't get it done this time, he would have missed the best opportunity.

"Mr. Zuo Li, I am here on behalf of CAA and invite you to join us. We will provide you with the best help. Whether it is drafting or endorsements, I believe we are your best choice."

As Rich Paul spoke, he was about to take out the information in his bag, but Zuo Li stopped him.

"Dude, did LeBron ask you to come or Leon Rose?"

Rich Paul was shocked: "How do you know LeBron and I know each other?"

It's only 2004, and he is just a nobody. James is already a famous little emperor all over the United States. He even went to Athens in the summer. Although he was blown away, there is no comparison with a little guy like him. Although he is indeed under James's

He was introduced to CAA to work for Leon Rose, but he had little contact with James. After all, Leon Rose was not James' agent at this time.

"I am also a player. For a guy like James, of course I will collect complete information." Zuo Li shrugged. This reason is so reasonable. Who of those people around those awesome players will not have information found by the all-pervasive media: "

You just need to answer the questions, I have to know who is recruiting me."

"It's Leon Rose. You should have heard of him. He is one of the largest agents in the NBA. We are owned by CAA. You should also know about CAA. We are the largest entertainment agency..."

"I see..." Zuo Li remained calm on the surface, but he was already smiling in his heart. So that's it, Rich Paul has already entered CAA and is working next to Leon Rose. And if Zuo Li remembers correctly, James' current agent

It's Aaron Goodwin, the guy who helped him sign super contracts with Nike and Coca-Cola.

That is to say, the current Rich Paul and James are far from the indestructible alliance that they will be in later generations. The opportunity for Zuoli has come!

But it's not easy.

Think about it, Zuo Li is still in high school, and although he is famous, it is far inferior to James at this moment. Although Rich Paul is still down and out, as long as he hugs the big tree of James, sooner or later

There is a chance to soar into the sky.

What about Zuoli? What does Zuoli have?