Rich Paul Discusses Racial Bias Amongst White American Athletes

Rich Paul recently told the New Yorker that there are many white American athletes who don't want a black agent.

BYAlexander Cole
Dominique Oliveto/Getty Images for Klutch Sports Group 2019 All Star Weekend

Rich Paul is one of the best agents in the entire NBA and his client list is beyond impressive. Klutch Sports has grown into one of the biggest entities in the sports agency world and fans have certainly taken notice. Over the years, there have been rumors concerning Klutch's influence over the sport, although Paul has made sure to note that he does everything the right way, and that he is simply looking into the best interests of his clients.

Despite being one of the most well-known agents out there, Paul has noted that there have been issues trying to attract white clients. Paul claims that white American athletes have a bit of a bias when it comes to who represents them. As it stands, Paul has one white client in Jusuf Nurkic, although as Paul noted, Nurkic is European and simply has a different mindset.

Rich Paul Discusses Racial Bias Amongst White American Athletes
Mitchell Leff/Getty Images

"It's very difficult for me to represent a white player," Paul said. "It just is. Look around. There’s very few. I represent a player from Bosnia. But, again, he’s international. He looks at it different." Paul then went on to say that some players just don't want a black agent, even though they would never actually allude to that kind of bias. "They’ll never say that," he said. "But they don't. I think there's always going to be that cloud over America."

American sports have suffered from diversity issues when it comes to both team executives and agents over the years. While Paul is a case of someone who has been able to overcome and be successful, there is no denying that biases still exist and that it could take quite sometime before attitudes change.

Rich Paul Discusses Racial Bias Amongst White American Athletes
Allen Berezovsky/Getty Images

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About The Author
Alexander Cole is the current Managing Editor of HotNewHipHop. He started at HotNewHipHop back in 2018 where he began as a Sports and Sneakers writer. During this time, he has shown an expertise in Air Jordans, Yeezys, and all things that have to do with Nike. His favorite kicks are the Air Jordan 1 High OG, the Air Jordan 4, the Air Jordan 6, and the Adidas Yeezy Boost 350 V2 in the "Beluga 2.0" colorway. Although his collection might not be the biggest, he is always looking to add new styles to it. When it comes to sports, Alex has a particular interest in the NBA and the NFL. His favorite teams are anywhere LeBron goes, and the Kansas City Chiefs. As a Montrealer, the Montreal Canadiens hold a special place in his heart, even if they haven't won the Stanley Cup in his lifetime. Alex also works for the Concordia Stingers, where he provides play-by-play and color commentary for the football, hockey, and basketball teams His favorite hip-hop artists are Kendrick Lamar, Playboi Carti, Travis Scott, and Lil Uzi Vert.