Nike considering dropping Johnny Manziel from endorsement stable
January 12, 2016Cavs trade Joe Harris to Orlando for future draft pick
January 12, 2016It wasn’t all that long ago when Rich Paul was a fledgling agent with CAA looking to make his mark in a top-heavy NBA. Fast forward to today and we get news that Paul, owning his own agency Klutch Sports Group, has been hired by Washington Wizards point guard John Wall, a substantial addition to a stable that already includes four-time MVP LeBron James, Cleveland’s Tristan Thompson, Phoenix’s Eric Bledsoe and Toronto’s Cory Joseph.
Wizards All-Star guard John Wall will sign with agent Rich Paul of Klutch Sports, I'm told. The guard recently parted ways with Dan Fegan.
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) January 12, 2016
Most players deal with agent turnover during contract negotiations with their employers or potential suitors, but Wall is in the second year of a five-year, $80 million deal with the Wizards. Where this change—Wall firing long-time agent Dan Fegan and hiring Paul—gains some traction is in the sneaker and endorsement space. Wall became an apparel brand free agent this past September when his multi-year contract with adidas expired.
James, Paul and Nike went very hard after Wall when he was a Freshman standout at Kentucky. Those who remember 2010 will recall a bizarre but mutually understood relationship between James and the Wildcats basketball program, including their head coach John Calipari, that featured the small forward showing up to Rupp Arena wearing royal blue and heather grey. When Wall left Kentucky, however, he signed a five-year, $25 million deal with Reebok before the Wizards selected him with the first-overall in 2010. This deal was terminated early when Wall sustained a litany of injuries early in his career, thus dampening the exposure he would provide. He later joined Adidas, which owns Reebok, for the remainder of the contract, eventually getting his own signature sneaker line “JW” logo.
When John Wall turned pro in 2010, Nike had interest & made him this Hyperfuse PE, but Reebok offer was too strong. pic.twitter.com/OTNtsv7oOo
— Nick DePaula (@NickDePaula) January 12, 2016
Wall, now 25, will continue to receive royalties off of his line, he has been wearing Nike sneakers in practice and during shootarounds, making many believe that a switch was in the works. As luck would have it, Paul has substantial connection in Beaverton, Oregon, large in part to James who recently signed a lifetime deal with the company. Fegan may have stuck with Wall through thick and thin and helped the All-Star point guard ink a new deal with the team that gave him the first shot, but to overlook the importance of endorsement dollars within a finite career would be a fool’s errand. Though Paul and James may have missed out with their initial pitch, there’s no doubting that the point guard’s value is higher now that it was in 2010. The endorsement dollars should soon follow.
3 Comments
Wall signs with Rich Paul
Cavs trade Joe Harris for a draft pick which opens a roster spot.
Stay Woke People.
The Cavs acquiring Wall to make him Kyrie’s backup would make me smile a grand smile.
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