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Former Kentucky Wildcat Nerlens Noel suing prominent NBA agent, claims over $50 million in lost earnings

SDS Staff

By SDS Staff

Published:

Former Kentucky basketball player Nerlens Noel’s contract strategy backfired a few years ago and now he’s suing a prominent NBA agent.

Noel has filed a lawsuit against NBA agent Rich Paul and Klutch Sports Group. Darren Heitner’s Sports Agent Blog broke down the suit.

Noel’s side of the story is that in 2017 Paul told him that “was a 100 million man.” Paul advised Noel to dump agent Happy Waters, who had represented Noel since he was drafted, and be represented by Paul. Noel also ended negotiations with the Dallas Mavericks on a 4-year, $70-million extension. Noel instead took a one-year, $4.1 million deal in hopes of signing a max deal the next year in free agency with the help of Paul as his agent.

Noel tor a ligament in his thumb and missed 42 games, sinking his value as a free agent. Noel says Paul then lost interest in him as a client:

“During the free agent season which began on July 1, 2018, and after Noel’s one-year contract with Dallas expired, neither Paul nor anyone at Klutch Sports presented any real proposals to Noel in terms of strategies or ideas on how Noel might secure a long-term contract or even a significant contract for the following season,” states the Complaint. “Indeed, as the 2018 NBA free agent season began, no real offers or deals were presented to Noel on the first day of free agency.”

Noel says that Paul had no involvement in the 2-year, $3.75 million deal he signed with Oklahoma City. Noel says he signed with the Thunder because he was recruited by Russell Westbrook and Paul George.

Further details can be found on Heitner’s Sports Agent Blog.

SDS Staff

Saturday Down South reports and comments on the news around the Southeastern Conference as well as larger college football topics.

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