Even though he roots for the New York Knicks, Kevin Durant’s agent Rich Kleiman is good with his client’s offseason decision to sign with the Brooklyn Nets.
It’s been a very busy last several years for Rich Kleiman. Not only is he an executive producer for ESPN+’s highly successful web series, The Boardroom, but he is most notably Kevin Durant‘s agent. The Boardroom just dropped its most recent season on ESPN+, as its number of paid subscribers are up 400 percent in little over a year. The Boardroom is a big reason for that.Hosted by ESPN’s Jay Williams, Kleiman would speak with FanSided‘s Mark Carman about the web series. One episode in particular about the rise of player empowerment, stemming from Isiah Thomas’ days as the superstar player on the Bad Boy Detroit Pistons to what players like Durant experience now was a great part of Carman and Kleiman’s conversation.
As any astute journalist would do, Carman had to check in with Kleiman on how Durant is doing physically after rupturing his Achilles’ during the 2019 NBA Finals. Kleiman assured Carman that Durant will be good as new playing for his new team, the Brooklyn Nets, in 2020-21.
Durant’s decision to sign with the Nets over Kleiman’s favorite team in the New York Knicks did catch a ton of people off-guard last summer. When asked if it bothered him that Durant signed with the Nets over the Knicks, Kleiman would respond with the following.
“No. No, it didn’t,” said Kleiman. “That’s the true honest answer. I found a way to separate the two. What was best for him, was best for him and what is best for him is best for our business. And I can still root for these New York Knicks if I wanted to.”
Kleiman fully understands the fan in him has to take a backseat to what’s best for business. He said he got his fandom fix when the New York Giants won their two Super Bowl with Eli Manning as their quarterback. Kleiman and Durant have worked together now for nine years, so you can’t let petty stuff like signing a contract to play for a city rival get in the way of business sense.
Overall, it looks to be smooth sailing in Durant’s camp. The business empire keeps growing and he’ll be back on the Barclays Center hardwood in no time. While we’ll have to wait until the fall for Durant to hoop it up for the Nets, you don’t have to wait to watch the latest season of The Boardroom on ESPN+.
Carman also spoke with executive producer of original content at ESPN+ Brian Lockhart about the series and the rapid growth of its platform. “One thing that we do know is that people love stories,” said Lockhart. “They want authenticity in their stories these days to get as close to the athlete as they can.”
Lockhart added that ESPN+ is at its core about live content. He said that it’s next to impossible to be a diehard UFC fan and not have ESPN+, the same thing applies to soccer in many instances. With great live content coming from the UFC and the MLS, most notably, as well as great, authentic series like The Boardroom and Peyton’s Place, ESPN+ is really onto something here.
Rich Kleiman and Brian Lockhart spoke with FanSided on behalf of The Boardroom, streaming on ESPN+.