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Image Credits: IMAGO
![](https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/Untitled-2023-10-09T102321.656.jpeg?width=600)
via Imago
Image Credits: IMAGO
Rich Paul has been LeBron James’ agent for over a decade. Paul has helped King James get the best opportunities and make the best decisions throughout his career. Paul and LeBron have known each other since 2002 when they met at an airport, and their relationship has grown stronger as the years have passed. Rich Paul finally got a chance to tell his success story to the world as he got his own episode of 60 Minutes.
In the episode, Paul revealed how his $197,230,450 move dethroned his best friend, LeBron James, from the Cleveland throne despite his historic win over Stephen Curry and Co. in 2016.
Rich Paul helped dethrone LeBron James
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LeBron James is considered the Greatest player in the Cleveland Cavaliers franchise history. He beat historic odds in 2016 by coming back from a 3-1 deficit to win the NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors. Despite his unprecedented 2016 accomplishment, King James was dethroned from a major position last year. All thanks to his best friend, Rich Paul. The multi-millionaire agent helped his 23-year-old client Darius Garland bag a massive 5-year $197,230,450 contract last season. Garland’s contract was the richest in Cleveland Cavaliers Franchise history, and he dethroned King James to claim that honor.
At just 23 years old, Darius Garland has proven that he has the potential to become the pillar of the Cleveland Cavaliers franchise, a position that was once held by LeBron James. Garland is one of over 200 athletes in the clientele of Rich Paul. The Akron Hammer is Paul’s biggest client, but that does not mean the 41-year-old does not look out for his young stars. Prior to Darius Garland, King James wore the crown for the richest contract in Cavs history with his 3-year $100 million contract after winning his first title in Cleveland.
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Is LeBron James still the “King” of Cleveland?
LeBron James ended the Cleveland Cavaliers Championship drought in 2016 after leading them to an improbable win in the NBA Finals. The entire world counted the Cavs out after the team went down 3-1 in the finals against the 73-win Golden State Warriors. King James rose from the ashes and put up a historic performance to bring his team back from the dead to win his first title in Cleveland. The Akron Hammer averaged nearly a triple-double in that historic series.
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Rich Paul might have helped Darius Garland dethrone LeBron in terms of contractual value in Cleveland. But King James still wears the crown of the Greatest Player in Cavaliers history. With the LeBron James era in the past, the Cavaliers are hoping to repeat history with their new young core of Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, and Evan Mobley. And with all the money Rich Paul has helped Garland bag, Cleveland fans want the 23-year-old star to hold his end of the bargain.
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