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By Justin Byers
Rich Paul, CEO and founder of Klutch Sports Group, the agency behind the career of LeBron James, has teamed up with three former Nike executives to form Adopt, a minority-owned company “focused on building brands by unleashing the power of sport and wellness.”
“We lead with design, marketing, and technology and apply that to brands, helping them define their purpose for what’s next,” said co-founder David Creech.
Creech, who has worked with Tiger Woods and the late Kobe Bryant, previously led Jordan brand design will serve as head of product and brand design for Adopt.
Paul, in particular, has made a name for himself by helping others realize their business potential. The super-agent recently said that former NBA star Allen Iverson could have established a billion-dollar brand with proper guidance.
However, Adopt will focus not on what could have been, but what is to come.
“We believe that the heart and soul of sport is the athlete. The world sees them as players, we see them as partners,” said Paul, who last month announced a memoir to be published via Jay-Z’s book imprint with Random House.
Former Nike marketing exec Nicole Graham will focus on growing dual-gender athlete brands, products, services, and experiences for Adopt. Josh Moore, who led digital design at Nike, will work to drive growth and engagement.
Adopt’s investment group includes Matthew Pritzker, who has a portfolio of investments that include Cameo — which hit a $1 billion valuation this week — and SpaceX.
