Rich Paul is “flattered” by the new NCAA rule unofficially bearing his name — prohibiting agents without bachelor’s degrees, such as Paul, from representing college players seeking to test the NBA Draft waters early — but the Klutch Sports CEO will be fine. The greatest concern for the agent of LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Ben Simmons, and John Wall is the countless aspiring agents of socioeconomic disadvantage being denied the opportunity to follow his path, and break into the “antiquated system.”

The controversial and heavily criticized new rule also requires agents to be certified by the National Basketball Players Association for at least three straight years, have professional liability insurance and complete an exam at the NCAA office in Indianapolis.

“NCAA executives are once again preventing young people from less prestigious backgrounds, and often people of color, from working in the system they continue to control,” Paul wrote in an op-ed for The Athletic. “In this case, the people being locked out are kids who aspire to be an agent and work in the NBA and do not have the resources, opportunity, or desire to get a four-year degree.

“I actually support requiring three years of experience before representing a kid testing the market. I can even get behind passing a test. However, requiring a four-year degree accomplishes only one thing — systematically excluding those who come from a world where college is unrealistic.

“Does anyone really believe a four-year degree is what separates an ethical person from a con artist?”

The reasoning for the new rule being implemented has been linked to Paul, who last year represented Darius Bazley following his de-commitment from Syracuse. Bazley, who originally planned to play in the G-League straight out of high school, instead spent the year training for the draft, and completed a three-month New Balance internship worth $1 million, which he landed through Paul. Bazley was drafted in the first round (23rd overall) by the Jazz this year, and was then traded to the Thunder.

“To be honest, I have no idea whether the NCAA adopted the new rule specifically because of my work with Darius Bazley, as people have speculated, or if it is because they know there are more and more people like me fighting for their chance and challenging this antiquated system,” Paul said. “….How do four years studying sports marketing in a classroom make you more qualified to represent a kid than working at Klutch Sports Group or for an NBA front office? Or at any other entrepreneurial business for that matter? All this will do is exclude the agents whose life experience helps them understand the needs of many of these players best.”

Paul doesn’t disagree with the entirety of the rule, but doesn’t understand why the NCAA’s latest unpopular policy is so restrictive.

“Why [doesn’t the NCAA] partner with universities on a one-year program for agents who don’t meet their requirements but want to learn the business? Or work with existing agents who play by the rules to help mentor those who are trying to ‘break in?'” Paul wrote. “When I travel back to neighborhoods like the inner city of Greater Cleveland where I’m from, young black kids tell me that they see my career as another path for them out of their troubled surroundings. They want to grow up to do what I do. That inspires me.”