Since being selected with the first overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft by the New Orleans Hornets, Anthony Davis has molded himself into one of the league’s most vibrant superstars. After winning a national championship at the University of Kentucky in 2012, Davis signed a three-year fully guaranteed $16 million contract as laid out by the NBA’s collective bargaining agreement. This contract was negotiated by agent Thaddeus Foucher of Wasserman, who in addition to representing Davis also represents other NBA athletes such as the Brooklyn Nets’ Kenneth Faired and Oklahoma City Thunder’s Russell Westbrook. However, Davis has decided to end his agent-client relationship with Foucher and Wasserman. 

In 2015, Foucher was able to negotiate a contract extension for his client Davis. According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Davis agreed to a five-year, $145 million maximum contract extension. This contract made Anthony Davis one of the highest paid players in the NBA and across all professional sports. Since his start as an NBPA certified agent, Foucher has negotiated contracts for clients totaling nearly $400 million.

The 2019 offseason calls for Anthony Davis to the hit free agent market once again. This means that it is imperative for Davis to receive the best possible representation at a crucial time. According to ESPN Stats & Info, because Davis was named a member of the 2017-18 All-NBA First Team, he is now eligible for a “super max” deal that would begin in 2020 and could be worth up to $230 million (per, NBA Collective Bargaining Agreement), which would be the largest contract in NBA history. Anticipating this historic mark, Davis has decided to look elsewhere from Foucher and Wasserman for representation.

According to Brian Windhorst and Romana Shelburne of ESPN, it is rumored that Rich Paul of Klutch Sports is the lead man to represent Anthony Davis from this point forward. The agency Klutch Sports is the same agency that represents the likes of John Wall, Ben Simmons and Lebron James. Rich Paul and Klutch Sports are no strangers to record-breaking contracts (Lebron’s $228 million), so it seems as if Anthony Davis desires the same type of security both morally and financially. Another possible factor in Davis’ decision is Klutch Sports’ recent engagement in the entertainment and media industry. With client Lebron James tapping into the film and production industry, Klutch Sports and other agencies present themselves the potential for a wide range of opportunities off-the-court as differentiating factors. With Davis being considered an emerging superstar continuing to grow his game, it is important for him to establish and grow his brand. His impending representation decision will be the first step.