The reach of Klutch Sports now extends to more than half of the rosters in the NBA, and much of that clientele was on hand earlier this month as the agency carried out a nationally televised pro day at Sierra Canyon High School.
There was Anthony Edwards (Minnesota), Miles Bridges (Charlotte), Jordan Clarkson (Utah), Lonnie Walker (San Antonio), Tyrese Maxey (Philadelphia) and Lonzo Ball (New Orleans). But when it comes to Klutch, it’s impossible to fully wipe away the evident bonds: Montrezl Harrell, Talen Horton-Tucker and 2020 title winner J.R. Smith were also sitting in the front row, clapping as the latest crop sped by.
The location was an unmissable context, as the pro day took place in the gym where LeBron James’ oldest son plays high school basketball, and where a group of Lakers conducted unofficial but somewhat open secret workouts during the early days of the pandemic.
Klutch and the Lakers have several ties. All-Stars James, Anthony Davis and four other clients of super agent Rich Paul who were on the roster last season: In a profile written by The New Yorker, Paul put himself in the shoes of the Lakers, calling them “us” when talking about their NBA title chances. He’s routinely among the courtside royalty at Staples Center for games, and at least $88.3 million of the Lakers’ payroll next season is currently tethered to Klutch players.
The last time the Lakers kept their draft pick? They selected Horton-Tucker, a Klutch client. And so it’s probably wise counsel for Lakers fans to at least take a look at the latest six-man crop that has been groomed for the last few months in Southern California, in the franchise’s very backyard.
“Definitely I would love to wear purple and gold,” said Kentucky guard Brandon Boston (an early-second round projection) after a six-man workout on Tuesday at the Lakers’ practice facility. “I had a great workout. We’ll see in two days.”
The Klutch pro day was a hive of frenetic activity, with six prospects sprinting the court and firing up shots from the corners. Boston, Duke’s Jalen Johnson, Florida’s Scottie Lewis, Arkansas’ Moses Moody, and Kai Jones and Jericho Sims from Texas. While NBA executives did not attend due to COVID-19 protocols, there’s no doubt that teams were tuning in on TV.
For the Lakers at No. 22, there might not be a Klutch client who is expected to land directly in their range. But that hasn’t stopped them from doing their due diligence, like meeting with Jones, a potential lottery pick, in Chicago during the NBA Combine, then inviting him to El Segundo for a follow-up workout.
“Rob Pelinka obviously, household name when it comes to basketball,” Jones said. “He was Kobe Bryant’s agent and has done a really good job with the Lakers. I met with him and we had a good meeting. They invited me to their facilities after and I got a little workout in there and spoke to him some more.”
Even if the Lakers don’t select a Klutch client on Thursday, or trade their first-round pick as they have in the last two drafts, there remains a trickle-down to the ties between the franchise and the agency. One of the most impressionable relationships that Moody, a projected lottery pick, made during the run-up to draft night was the opportunity to hear from James, who is Paul’s most high-profile client: “It’s cool just being a part of this network, having that access to the players and to the guys.”
Johnson, a small forward who said he tries to model his game after James, said simply being based in L.A. for the last few months gave him a picture into what Laker fandom is like.
“Everybody’s a Laker fan it seems like,” he said. “Everywhere you can turn, you see a billboard about the Lakers. You kinda can’t miss the fan support around the Lakers from there.”
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