Recently, Rich Kleiman appeared on the All the Smoke podcast. The sworn friend of Kevin Durant, and his business partner, Kleiman recently gave some insights into KD’s mindset as a businessman. Furthermore, he touched upon the various influences Durant has had in his life, revealing that the hip-hop world was one of them. In particular, the Phoenix Suns star was inspired by the likes of Jay-Z and Dr. Dre. Having built a $2,500,000,000 empire for himself, ‘J-Hova’ left the KD in awe, prompting him to build an empire of his own.
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Jay-Z made his billions thanks in part to his music and his business-savvy mindset. The revenue from his albums aside, the 53-year-old made a lot of smart investments. From buying and selling his stake in the New Jersey Nets (now, Brooklyn Nets) to creating Roc Nation Sports, and even owning his own luxury marijuana brand. He has managed his wealth very well. Add to that the fact he has been a hip-hop superstar forever now, and it makes sense why KD was hesitant to meet him as a 19-year-old, believing he just wasn’t ready.
Kevin Durant was inspired by Jay-Z and Dr. Dre when it came to building his own business empire
Rich Kleiman has worked with Kevin Durant for years now. In addition to being his agent, he is also KD’s business partner and has watched the 6’10” forward build an empire for himself from scratch. Moreover, he has witnessed the growth Durant has shown as a businessman over the years.
Speaking to Stephen Jackson and Matt Barnes on the All the Smoke podcast, Kleiman shared some of KD’s inspirations. The Slim Reaper did take some notes from fellow NBA star, LeBron James, who built a “meticulous setup” right in front of him. However, his biggest influences came from his hip-hop idols, Jay-Z and Dr. Dre.
Additionally, Kleiman, having had a background working with music stars knew what the blueprint to success looked like. Taking inspiration from hip-hop greats like Jay-Z, he helped Durant build his community, fan base, and brand en route to his $300,000,000 net worth.
“I understood how to turn down money and make money later on. Or to build community, fan base, and build brand and it will ultimately come with money down the road. And, Kevin was down with that, because he wanted to build and he marveled at the Jay-Z’s of the world and the Dr. Dre’s as well. That imprint, that hip-hop informed. And then, obviously, LeBron had started to put the most meticulous setup in front of him, and all that was really inspiring to us!”
As of today, Durant is easily one of the most successful NBA players both on the court and off it. Having recently signed a lifetime deal with Nike, his business continues to expand. Couple that with his and Kleiman’s joint venture, the Boardroom, and KD is well on his way to joining the likes of LeBron, Michael Jordan, and Tiger Woods as one of the few athletes with a $1,000,000,000 net worth.
Tom Brady played a role in KD’s decision to join the Golden State Warriors
On the same podcast, Rich Kleiman shared the inside details of Kevin Durant’s move to the Golden State Warriors. He recalled how plenty of teams set up meetings with the Slim Reaper, trying to convince him to join them. However, it was a meeting with the Boston Celtics that may have ultimately helped KD make his decision.
The Celtics pulled out all the stops. The ownership was there, Danny Ainge, and players like Jae Crowder, and Kelly Olynyk. The kicker was the presence of Tom Brady. Durant had a conversation with the then-New England Patriots star and was ready to sign on the dotted line. But, something Brady said stuck with him. Something about playing for the best team, and that so happened to be the Golden State Warriors.
After that conversation, the rest is history. Durant signed with the Dubs, creating a super team revolving around himself, Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green. This started the dominance of the Warriors dynasty and cemented KD’s legacy as he won himself two championship rings.
