Rich Paul’s Klutch Sports Group, a sports agency with a substantial NBA clientele, has acquired Elite Athlete Management, bringing Elite CEO Zeke Sandhu, NFL star Odell Beckham Jr. and roughly 40 of Sandhu’s NFL clients to Klutch Sports.
Paul, who reportedly has a net worth of $55 million, founded the Los Angeles-based Klutch in 2012. A former sports agent with Creative Artists Agent, Paul became head of sports at United Talent Agency after it made a significant investment in Klutch in 2019, Forbes reported. Paul also serves on UTA’s board.
Klutch Adds More Star Athlete Power
Klutch already has such star athletes as LeBron James, Anthony Edwards, De’Aaron Fox, Zach LaVine, Draymond Green and Darius Garland on its roster. Now the brand is expanding with a football division that brings in young NFL stars such as Jalen Hurts, DeVonta Smith, Chase Young and Bryce Hall, according to Front Sports Office.
Sandhu’s other big NFL clients who are now coming with him to Klutch are Christian Kirk, Isaiah Hodgins and Zay Jones.
Big Time Deals for Klutch
Nicole Lynn, president of football operations for Klutch, recently secured a landmark $255 million contract for Hurts, making the Eagles quarterback the highest-paid player in NFL history. However, that was quickly surpassed in the same month.
Quarterback Lamar Jackson, who represents himself, inked a new five-year deal worth $260 million to remain with the Baltimore Ravens.
What Klutch Gets Under Elite Deal
Other Elite Athlete Management clients include NBA player Quenton Jackson, who plays for a Washington Wizards affiliate in the G League on a two-way contract with the Wizards. A two-way contract, according to USA Today, allows a developing player to be part of the roster for an NBA team and its G League affiliate at the same time. Jackson now is signed with Klutch Sports, as are Minnesota Vikings stars Danielle Hunter and Byron Murphy Jr., Sports Illustrated reported.
The Adele Factor
As Finurah previously reported, Paul and superstar singer Adele are a celebrity couple who have been dating since 2021. Although the couple seems to keep their relationship relatively private, they have been spotted together at several public events and live together in a Beverly Hills property worth an estimated $30 million. It has been reported the two are engaged and that the British singer, who is worth an estimated $220 million, plans to safeguard her assets with a prenup before tying the knot with Paul.
