The Man Behind Kevin Durant's Billion Dollar Business

If you are not a subscriber of Huddle Up, join 67,000 other professional athletes, business executives, and casual sports fans that receive it directly in their inbox each morning — it’s free.

This Email Is Sponsored By…

LMNT has been my cheat code over the last several months.

It’s a simple electrolyte drink mix that you stir into your water. It provides all the sodium, potassium, and magnesium you need to attack the day, without all the bad stuff—sugar, artificial ingredients, or preservatives.

I drink it every morning, and it helps me maintain my hydration levels throughout the day, especially during the hot summer months. But here’s the best part: LMNT is offering Huddle Up readers an exclusive deal; order today and get a free sample pack with any purchase. So check ‘em out, and let me know what you think!

Hey Friends,

Kevin Durant was heavily criticized during the Summer of 2016 when he left the Oklahoma City Thunder and signed with the Golden State Warriors.

I get it, of course. He had spent the first nine years of his career with the Thunder and left for a team that had just gone 73-9 the previous season (the best single-season record in NBA history) and came back from a 3-1 deficit to beat him in the playoffs.

But I would argue it was the best thing that could have happened to him. Sure, he ended up winning two NBA Championships and taking home the Finals MVP trophy each time — but off-the-court, things went even better.

KD and Rich Kleiman, his business partner and manager, immersed themselves in Silicon Valley. They won championships while rubbing elbows with some of the world’s best venture capitalists, attending birthday parties at Ben Horowitz’s house, and learning how to analyze company financials at lunch with Ron Conway.

And when they decided to head East to Brooklyn in 2019, their business looked completely different than it did three years prior.

For example, Durant and Kleiman now own a successful media company called the Boardroom. They have built a venture portfolio worth nearly $200 million that includes investments in companies like Coinbase, Overtime, Robinhood, Postmates, Whoop, and even an ownership stake in MLS’ Philadelphia Union. And I think they, along with LeBron James and his team, will serve as the blueprint for future athletes who want to build an enterprise around their name, image, and likeness.

So today’s email is special. I traveled to New York City last week and sat down with Rich Kleiman for an hour. We talked about his journey from music manager to business builder, how he met Kevin Durant, the real reason why KD left Oklahoma City for Golden State, their best and worst investments together, and much more.

This was a ton of fun for me, and I hope you guys enjoy it too. You can listen to the audio version here or check out the full YouTube video below. Enjoy!

If you are not a subscriber of Huddle Up, join 67,000 other professional athletes, business executives, and casual sports fans that receive it directly in their inbox each morning — it’s free.