United Talent Agency, one of the leading representation firms in Hollywood, has joined with the influential N.B.A. agent Rich Paul to create a sports division for the entertainment company.
Paul, who represents LeBron James and 22 other N.B.A. players under his Klutch Sports Group banner, was named the head of U.T.A. Sports on Wednesday. The alliance calls for Klutch, with Paul as chief executive, to operate as United Talent’s sports division while retaining its own branding.
“We’ve been looking for the right sports opportunity for quite a while,” said Jeremy Zimmer, the talent agency’s chief executive. “We have taken a significant stake in Klutch, but Rich retains very substantial controls because we want it to be his business and we love what he’s doing.