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1. Sixty-one : life lessons from papa, on and off the court LCCN 2022021228 Type of material Book Personal name Paul, Chris, 1985- author. Main title Sixty-one : life lessons from papa, on and off the court / Chris Paul, with Michael Wilbon. Edition First edition. Published/Produced New York : St. Martin's Press, 2023. Projected pub date 2306 Description pages cm ISBN 9781250276711 (hardcover) (ebook)

• Basketball Dreams (Chris Paul (Author), Courtney Lovett (Illustrator) - 2023 Roaring Brook Press , New York, NY

• Chris Paul Family Foundation website - https://www.chrispaulfamilyfoundation.org

  The Chris Paul Family Foundation strives to positively impact individuals and families by leveling the playing field in Education, Sports and Life. The foundation provides resources that enrich and strengthen healthy development of strong communities.

  In 2005, Chris and his family established the CP3 Foundation, a philanthropic partnership with The Winston-Salem Foundation in honor of his late grandfather, Nathaniel Jones. The foundation was created to highlight Chris’ dedication and love, both to his grandfather’s spirit and to the city of Winston- Salem, NC, for nurturing him from his days as a stand-out high school student-athlete to a national star at Wake Forest University.

  Recognized as a leader in the area of philanthropy, the Chris Paul Family Foundation will continue to use its platform to impact communities and develop young leaders nationally and globally.

  Chris Paul is a professional basketball player for the Phoenix Suns. He was born on May 6th, 1985 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

  Served as the National Basketball Players Association President (2013-2021)

  Selected to 11 NBA All-Star teams, 9 All-Defensive teams and 10 All-NBA teams

  Led the NBA in assists 4 times and steals 6 times

  Played 2 years at Wake Forest University & had his #3 retired (2013)

  2x Olympic gold medalist (2008 & 2012)

  Rookie of the Year (2006)

  Selected fourth overall by the New Orleans Hornets (2005)

  USA Basketball Male Athlete of the Year (2004)

  McDonald’s All-American (2003)

• Ohh DIP - https://www.ohhdip.com/team

  Chris Paul is a twelve-time NBA All-Star and two-time Olympic Gold medalist. He was recently named to the NBA’s 75th Anniversary team as one of the 75 greatest players in NBA history.

  Last year, Paul became the first player in league history to record 20,000 points and 10,000 assists in their career. In his 17th season in the NBA, he ranks third on the NBA all-time career assists list. Paul currently plays with the Phoenix Suns and previously played with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Clippers, and New Orleans Hornets.

  Off the court, he’s a father, husband, entrepreneur, activist, and philanthropist. He recently ended his tenure as the President of the National Basketball Players Association, which began in 2013. His business partnerships include the Jordan Brand, State Farm Insurance, Turner Impact Capital, Muzik, WTRMLN WTR, Beyond Meat, PlayersTV, Knowable, goPuff, The La Fête Wine Company, Watchbox, Koia, Greenfly, Misha’s Kind Foods, Life360, Uncharted Power, Calm, Dibbs, MaxOne, Supplant, Roots Food Group, Fanatics, Panini Cards, and more.

  In his home state of North Carolina, he is part owner of the Winston-Salem Dash and owner of the CP3 Basketball Academy. He is the co-founder of Go Hoop Day, a day for celebrating the game of basketball worldwide, and he co-hosts The Baha Mar Showdown, the annual celebrity golf showcase created by Turner Sports and CAA Sports.

  His production company, Ohh Dip!!! Productions, creates content across multiple platforms and Paul has executive produced projects including Chapter 3, Crossroads, The Game Changers, Blackballed, Why Not Us: NC Central Men’s Basketball, The Day Sports Stood Still, American Sole, Why Not Us: FAMU Football, PlayersTV’s Front Office, Playdate, and 61. Ohh Dip!!! co-produces Bloomberg Quicktake’s How I Got Here, an in-depth weekly one-on-one interview series hosted by Paul and debuting this year. His upcoming memoir, Sixty-One: Life Lessons from Papa, On and Off the Court, is a powerful and unexpected memoir of family, faith, tragedy, and life’s most important lessons.

  The Chris Paul Family Foundation continues to provide resources that enrich and strengthen underserved communities across the country. Paul co-launched the Social Change Fund United dedicated to investing in and supporting organizations focused on empowering communities of color and advocating for the human rights of all black lives. His philanthropic efforts have earned him the 2016 ESPYs “Humanitarian of the Year” award, 2016 Mannie Jackson Human Spirit Award, the NBA Community Assist Award five times, and most recently the inaugural Kobe and Gigi Bryant Advocacy Award for his significant contributions to the advancement of girls’ and women’s basketball, and advocacy for the WNBA.

• Wikipedia -

  Chris Paul

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  This article is about the basketball player. For the militant, see Christopher Paul. For the American football player, see Chris Paul (American football).
  Chris Paul
  Chris Paul (2022 All-Star Weekend) (cropped).jpg
  Paul at the 2022 NBA All-Star Game
  No. 3 – Phoenix Suns
  Position Point guard
  League NBA
  Personal information
  Born May 6, 1985 (age 37)
  Winston-Salem, North Carolina, U.S.[a]
  Listed height 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
  Listed weight 175 lb (79 kg)
  Career information
  High school West Forsyth
  (Clemmons, North Carolina)
  College Wake Forest (2003–2005)
  NBA draft 2005 / Round: 1 / Pick: 4th overall
  Selected by the New Orleans Hornets
  Playing career 2005–present
  Career history
  2005–2011 New Orleans Hornets[b]
  2011–2017 Los Angeles Clippers
  2017–2019 Houston Rockets
  2019–2020 Oklahoma City Thunder
  2020–present Phoenix Suns
  Career highlights and awards
  12× NBA All-Star (2008–2016, 2020–2022)
  NBA All-Star Game MVP (2013)
  4× All-NBA First Team (2008, 2012–2014)
  5× All-NBA Second Team (2009, 2015, 2016, 2020, 2021)
  2× All-NBA Third Team (2011, 2022)
  7× NBA All-Defensive First Team (2009, 2012–2017)
  2× NBA All-Defensive Second Team (2008, 2011)
  NBA Rookie of the Year (2006)
  NBA All-Rookie First Team (2006)
  5× NBA assists leader (2008, 2009, 2014, 2015, 2022)
  6× NBA steals leader (2008, 2009, 2011–2014)
  NBA 75th Anniversary Team
  Consensus first-team All-American (2005)
  First-team All-ACC (2005)
  Third-team All-ACC (2004)
  ACC Rookie of the Year (2004)
  No. 3 retired by Wake Forest Demon Deacons
  USA Basketball Male Athlete of the Year (2004)
  First-team Parade All-American (2003)
  McDonald's All-American (2003)
  North Carolina Mr. Basketball (2003)
  Stats Edit this at Wikidata at NBA.com
  Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
  Medals
  Men's basketball
  Representing the United States
  Olympic Games
  Gold medal – first place 2008 Beijing Team competition
  Gold medal – first place 2012 London Team competition
  FIBA World Championship
  Bronze medal – third place 2006 Japan Team competition
  Christopher Emmanuel Paul (born May 6, 1985), nicknamed "CP3" and "The Point God", is an American professional basketball player who plays for the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Widely regarded as one of the greatest point guards of all time,[5][6][7][8] Paul has won the NBA Rookie of the Year Award, an NBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player Award, two Olympic gold medals, and led the NBA in assists five times and steals a record six times. He has also been selected to twelve NBA All-Star teams, eleven All-NBA teams, and nine NBA All-Defensive teams. In 2021, he was selected to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team. He also served as the president of the National Basketball Players Association from 2013 to 2021. Among the highest-paid athletes in the world, he holds endorsement deals with companies such as Jordan Brand and State Farm.

  Paul was a McDonald's All-American in high school and attended Wake Forest University for two years of college basketball, where he helped the Demon Deacons achieve their first-ever number-one ranking. He was selected as the fourth overall pick in the 2005 NBA draft by the New Orleans Hornets, where he developed into one of the league's best players, finishing second in NBA Most Valuable Player Award voting in 2008.

  During the 2011 offseason, the Hornets organized a deal to send Paul to the Los Angeles Lakers, but the transaction was controversially voided by the NBA. He was instead dealt to the Los Angeles Clippers later that year. Led by Paul's playmaking, the Clippers developed a reputation for their fast-paced offense and spectacular alley-oop dunks, earning them the nickname "Lob City". In 2017, he was traded to the Houston Rockets, where he helped the team win a franchise-record 65 games in his debut season. He played one more season in Houston before being traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder as part of a package for Russell Westbrook in 2019. With the Thunder looking to rebuild, he was traded to the Phoenix Suns in 2020, where he reached the NBA Finals for the first time in his career in 2021. The following season, he helped the team win a franchise-record 64 games.

  Early life
  Chris Paul was born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina,[9][a] to Charles Edward Paul and Robin Jones. He grew up in Lewisville with his older brother, Charles "C.J." Paul.[9][10] His family gave him the nickname "CP3" because he, his father, and his brother all share the same initials.[11] A former athlete himself, Charles Sr. taught his sons basketball and football and coached them in various youth leagues throughout their childhoods.[12] Growing up, the Paul brothers spent their summers working at a service station owned by their grandfather Nathaniel Jones;[13] Paul attributes many life lessons to his grandfather and has described him as his "best friend".[14]

  High school career
  Paul attended West Forsyth High School in Clemmons, North Carolina.[15] During his freshman and sophomore seasons, he played on the junior varsity team.[16] For his junior year, he averaged 25 points, 5.3 assists, and 4.4 steals per game, helping West Forsyth reach the state semifinals.[17] Over the ensuing summer, he led the Winston-Salem-based Kappa Magic to the National U-17 AAU title, earning tournament MVP honors in the process.[18] During his senior season, Paul received national attention for scoring 61 points in a game; his 61-year-old grandfather was murdered earlier that year and Paul honored him by scoring one point for each year of his life.[15] Paul finished the season with averages of 30.8 points, 5.9 rebounds, 9.5 assists, and 6 steals per game, leading West Forsyth to a 27–3 record and the Class 4A Eastern Regional finals.[17] He was ultimately named a McDonald's All-American, first-team Parade All-American, and North Carolina's Mr. Basketball by The Charlotte Observer.[17]

  College career
  As a freshman at Wake Forest University, Paul averaged 14.8 points, 5.9 assists, and 2.7 steals per game,[19] setting school freshman records for three-point percentage, free throws, free throw percentage, assists, and steals in the process.[17] Behind his play, the Demon Deacons qualified for the NCAA tournament, losing in the Sweet Sixteen to St. Joseph's.[20] At the conclusion of the season, Paul was named ACC Rookie of the Year and Third Team All-ACC.[17]

  For two weeks early in Paul's sophomore season, Wake Forest was ranked number one in the nation for the first time in school history.[21] On January 15, 2005, Paul registered 26 points and 8 assists in a victory over rival North Carolina,[22] and on February 3, he scored 23 points in a win against rival Duke.[23] In the final game of the year, Paul punched NC State guard Julius Hodge in the groin and received a one-game suspension from the ACC Tournament,[24] an incident that marred Paul's image for a short time.[21] The Demon Deacons again qualified for the NCAA tournament but suffered a second round upset at the hands of West Virginia.[25] With final averages of 15.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, 6.6 assists, and 2.4 steals per game, Paul was eventually named First Team Consensus All-America,[19] and with a 3.21 grade point average (GPA), he was also named to ESPN's Academic All-America Team.[26] On April 15, 2005, he announced he would be hiring an agent and turning professional.[21] On March 2, 2011, Wake Forest retired his jersey.[27] In 2021, Paul was inducted into the Wake Forest Sports Hall of Fame.[28]

  Professional career
  New Orleans Hornets (2005–2011)

  Paul attempts a runner in December 2008.
  Early seasons in New Orleans and Oklahoma City (2005–2007)
  Paul was selected as the fourth overall pick in the 2005 NBA draft by the New Orleans Hornets.[29] Due to the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina, the Hornets played most of their games in Oklahoma City during Paul's first two seasons with the team.[30] Paul finished his debut season leading all rookies in total points, assists, steals, and double-doubles, and became only the second rookie in NBA history to lead the league in total steals.[31] With final averages of 16.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, 7.8 assists, and 2.2 steals per game,[32] he was named NBA Rookie of the Year, falling just one vote shy of winning the award unanimously.[31] The only other rookie to receive a first place vote was Deron Williams, with whom Paul enjoyed a brief rivalry early in their careers.[33]

  At the 2007 All-Star Weekend, Paul set new Rookie Challenge records with 17 assists and 9 steals.[34] For his sophomore season, he increased his scoring and passing averages to 17.3 points and 8.9 assists per game, but played in only 64 games due to injury.[32]

  Rise to stardom (2007–2011)
  Paul was selected to his first NBA All-Star Game in 2007–08,[32] playing in front of his home fans in New Orleans.[35] Behind his leadership, the Hornets were near the top of the Western Conference standings all year, temporarily occupying first place on March 17 following a win against the Chicago Bulls.[36] New Orleans finished the season with a franchise-record 56 wins and the second seed in the West.[37][38] Paul led the NBA with 11.6 assists and 2.7 steals per game to go along with 21.1 points per game,[32] finishing second in NBA Most Valuable Player Award voting and being named to his first All-NBA and All-Defensive teams.[32][39] In his playoff debut, he scored 35 points against the Dallas Mavericks.[40] In Game 2, he set a franchise playoff record with 17 assists.[41] The Hornets defeated the Mavericks in five games, with Paul registering 24 points, 11 rebounds, and 15 assists in the final game.[42] Their run came to an end in the next round, where they were eliminated by the San Antonio Spurs.[37]

  Paul speaks with Hornets coach Byron Scott in March 2009.
  Prior to the start of the 2008–09 season, Paul signed a contract extension with the Hornets worth $68 million.[43] On December 17, 2008, he set the NBA record for consecutive games with a steal at 106.[44] On several occasions, he came within a few steals of recording a quadruple-double, including a 27-point, 10-rebound, 15-assist, and 7-steal game against the Philadelphia 76ers on January 26, 2009.[45] His final averages were 22.8 points, 5.5 rebounds, 11 assists, and 2.8 steals per game.[32] Despite Paul's individual accomplishments, New Orleans' record fell from the year before and they were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the Denver Nuggets.[46]

  After a slow start to the 2009–10 season, the Hornets fired coach Byron Scott.[47] Paul stirred up controversy when he announced his displeasure with the move, commenting that team management should have "consulted with me and asked how I felt before it happened."[48] In early February 2010, Paul tore cartilage in his left knee and was sidelined for over a month by surgery, forcing him to miss the All-Star Game.[49] In total, he played in only 45 games and his averages dropped to 18.7 points, 3.8 rebounds, 10.7 assists, and 2.1 steals per game.[32] Without Paul, the Hornets struggled, missing the playoffs.[50]

  In 2010–11, Paul had another injury scare, suffering a concussion on March 6 after colliding with Cavaliers guard Ramon Sessions and being carried off the court on a stretcher.[51] He returned two games later, registering 33 points and 15 assists against the Sacramento Kings.[52] With the luxury of Paul playing a full season, the Hornets qualified for the playoffs and were matched up with the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers in the first round.[53] In Game 1, Paul contributed 33 points, 14 assists, and 4 steals,[54] and in Game 4, he registered 27 points, 13 rebounds, and 15 assists.[55] In response to Paul's performances, Lakers beat writer Dave McMenamin declared that Paul was having a "historically great series".[56] Nevertheless, New Orleans were eliminated in six games,[53] and ownership, fearing that Paul would leave the franchise via free agency, began actively pursuing a trade that would provide the team equitable compensation in return for his services.[57]

  Los Angeles Clippers (2011–2017)
  Failed Lakers trade and "Lob City" rise (2011–2012)
  On December 8, 2011, the Hornets agreed to a three-team trade sending Paul to the Lakers. The NBA, who owned the Hornets at the time, nullified the deal because commissioner David Stern claimed that New Orleans would be better off by keeping Paul.[58] The teams involved in the transaction attempted to lobby the league to reverse its ruling and reconstruct the deal to no avail.[59][60] On December 12, the Hornets agreed to a trade sending Paul to the Los Angeles Clippers, but the deal broke down after the NBA added additional demands to the original terms.[61] Two days later, the teams finally completed the trade, sending Paul and two future second-round draft picks to the Clippers in return for Eric Gordon, Chris Kaman, Al-Farouq Aminu, and the Minnesota Timberwolves' unprotected first round pick in the 2012 draft, which was used to draft Austin Rivers.[62] Upon the deal's completion, Paul announced that he would opt into the final year of his contract and remain in Los Angeles for at least two more seasons.[63]

  Paul with the Clippers in February 2012
  Paul's arrival to Los Angeles rejuvenated the Clippers franchise, with teammate Blake Griffin later commenting, "It put us on the map."[64] Early in Paul's debut season, the team developed a reputation for their fast-paced offense and spectacular alley-oop dunks,[65] usually from Paul to Griffin or DeAndre Jordan,[66] earning them the nickname "Lob City".[67] Paul finished the year averaging 19.8 points, 9.1 assists, and 2.5 steals per game,[32] becoming the first Clipper to be named to the All-NBA First Team since the franchise moved to Los Angeles in the 1980s.[68] Behind his play and the emergence of Griffin as an All-NBA performer, Los Angeles qualified for the playoffs, losing to the San Antonio Spurs in the conference semifinals.[69]

  Playoff upsets (2012–2015)
  At the 2013 All-Star Game, Paul led the West to victory with a 20-point and 15 assist performance, earning his first NBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player Award.[70] He finished the season averaging 16.9 points, 9.7 assists, and 2.4 steals per game, helping the Clippers to a franchise-record 56 wins.[32][71] Seeded fourth in the West entering the playoffs, Los Angeles were defeated in the first round by the Memphis Grizzlies.[72] Shortly after their early postseason exit, the Clippers announced they would not renew coach Vinny Del Negro's contract and rumors arose of Paul forcing Del Negro out. Los Angeles later denied any player involvement in the coaching decision.[73]

  Paul dribbles the ball in November 2013.
  Prior to the start of the 2013–14 season, Paul re-signed with the Clippers for five years on a contract worth approximately $107 million.[74] Despite a shoulder injury that sidelined him for over a month,[75] Los Angeles set another new franchise record for wins with 57.[76] His final averages were 19.1 points, 10.7 assists, and 2.5 steals per game.[32] In Game 1 of the second round of the playoffs, he hit a career postseason-high eight three-pointers to help the Clippers take an early series lead over the Oklahoma City Thunder.[77] In Game 5 and with the series tied 2–2, he made a string of late mistakes leading to an eventual Thunder victory, later commenting, "It's me ... Everything that happened at the end is on me."[78] Oklahoma City eventually eliminated Los Angeles in six games.[79]

  In 2014–15, Paul played in all 82 games for the first time in his career, averaging 19.1 points and a league-high 10.2 assists per game.[80] In Game 7 of the first round of the playoffs, he hit a go-ahead shot with a second left to lift the Clippers over the Spurs despite a hamstring injury.[81] The injury forced him to miss the first two games of the next series versus the Houston Rockets, and Los Angeles eventually lost in seven games despite holding a 3–1 series lead.[82] The defeat marked ten consecutive seasons and seven consecutive playoff appearances without an NBA Conference Finals appearance for Paul.[83]

  Final years with Clippers (2015–2017)
  In January of the 2015–16 season, Paul led the Clippers on a ten-game winning streak despite missing Griffin and Jordan at various points due to injury.[84] For the third straight year, he finished the season with averages of over 19 points, 10 assists, and 2 steals per game.[32] To begin the postseason, the Clippers drew a matchup with the Portland Trail Blazers, taking a 2–1 lead to start the series. In Game 4, Paul broke his hand and was ruled out indefinitely.[85] Without Paul, as well as Griffin, who also injured himself in Game 4, Los Angeles eventually lost the series in six games.[86]

  Paul in 2016
  In 2016–17, Paul missed 21 regular season games due to rest or injury, and averaged 18.1 points, 9.2 assists, and 5 rebounds in just over 31 minutes per game.[32] At season's end, Paul was not rewarded with an All-NBA honor, marking just the second time he failed to make an All-NBA team since 2008 and the first time in his six years as a Clipper.[87] In the playoffs, Los Angeles was eliminated after their first round series against the Utah Jazz, with Paul averaging 25.3 points, 9.9 assists, 5 rebounds per game over seven games.[87]

  Houston Rockets (2017–2019)
  First Conference Finals appearance (2017–2018)
  On June 28, 2017, Paul was traded to the Houston Rockets in exchange for Patrick Beverley, Sam Dekker, Montrezl Harrell, Darrun Hilliard, DeAndre Liggins, Lou Williams, Kyle Wiltjer, a future first round pick, and cash considerations.[88] The Clippers ultimately decided to trade Paul because they were unwilling to offer him the contract extension that he was seeking and they did not want to lose him for nothing once he became a free agent. Paul, who was interested in playing alongside superstar guard James Harden, opted into the final year of his existing contract to facilitate the trade.[89] Some analysts were initially skeptical of the trade due to the perceived redundancy of Paul and Harden's playing ball-dominating playing styles, leading to questions over how they would adjust to each other.[90]

  On October 17, Paul debuted for the Rockets in their season-opening win over the defending champion Golden State Warriors.[91] He scored only four points on 2-for-9 shooting and sat on the bench down the stretch while the Rockets made their final push.[92] It was later revealed that he was playing through a knee injury, and he subsequently missed the next 14 games, returning to the lineup on November 16 against the Phoenix Suns.[93] With Paul healthy, Houston quickly established themselves as a championship contender, boasting the league's top-ranked offense in addition to a top-ten defense. Their success was primarily driven by Paul and Harden, who assumed playmaking duties while role players such as Eric Gordon, Trevor Ariza, and P. J. Tucker provided floor spacing with three-point shooting.[94] On December 15, Paul registered 28 points, eight assists, and seven steals against the Spurs to lead the Rockets to their 12th straight victory.[95] On January 26, 2018, he scored a season-high 38 points in a loss to the New Orleans Pelicans.[96] The Rockets eventually finished the 2017–18 season with a franchise-record 65 wins and the best record in the NBA, which included Harden winning the MVP Award and the team setting a league record for three-point attempts.[97] Paul's final averages were 18.6 points, 7.9 assists, and 1.7 steals per game.[32]

  In the first round of the playoffs, Houston eliminated the Minnesota Timberwolves, earning them a matchup with the Utah Jazz in the second round.[98] In Game 5 of the series, Paul scored a career playoff-high 41 points along with eight three-pointers, 10 assists, and seven rebounds en route to a series-clinching victory over the Jazz. With the win, Paul advanced to the NBA Conference Finals for the first time in his career,[99] where the Warriors awaited. Going into Game 5, the series was tied 2–2 before Paul helped lead Houston to victory by scoring seven fourth quarter points that powered a 10–5 run and gave the Rockets a lead that they never relinquished.[100] However, Paul injured his hamstring late in the game, and with him out for the remainder of the series, Houston was eliminated from the postseason with back-to-back losses.[101]

  Uneventful season (2018–2019)

  Paul in 2018
  On July 8, Paul signed a four-year, $160 million maximum contract extension with the Rockets.[102] On October 20, shortly after the start of the 2018–19 season, he was involved in an on-court altercation with Rajon Rondo of the Lakers, which resulted in a two-game suspension and a fine.[103] On December 20, he suffered a left hamstring strain against the Miami Heat,[104] which caused him to miss 17 consecutive games.[105] On February 23, he recorded 23 points and a season-high 17 assists in a win over the Warriors.[106] Late in the season, Paul found himself in the midst of a slump and Houston dropped down to the third seed in the conference, which prompted some analysts to wonder if Paul had moved into a new, less effective phase of his career.[107] In the conference semifinals, the Rockets again found themselves matched up with Golden State, but could not close out the series despite the Warriors' primary scorer, Kevin Durant, missing the final two games.[108]

  Oklahoma City Thunder (2019–2020)
  On July 16, 2019, the Rockets traded Paul, two protected first-round draft picks, and two first-round pick swaps to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for Russell Westbrook.[109] For the first time in years, Paul found himself on a young, rebuilding team without championship aspirations. Despite speculation that the Thunder would try to move on from Paul immediately, he embraced his role as a veteran leader of the team, which earned him praise from coach Billy Donovan.[110] Paul debuted for Oklahoma City in a loss to the Utah Jazz on October 23, registering 22 points and 8 rebounds in 30 minutes of play.[111] On January 30, he was selected to his 10th All-Star nod, and first since 2016, being named a Western Conference reserve.[112] On February 11, Paul scored a season-high 31 points in a loss to the San Antonio Spurs.[113]

  Following a break in the season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Thunder eventually finished as the fifth seed in the conference, earning them a matchup with Paul's old team, the Houston Rockets, in the first round of the playoffs.[114] Trailing 3–2 going into Game 6, Paul scored 15 of his 28 points in the fourth quarter to lead Oklahoma City to a series-tying victory.[115] Although the Thunder would ultimately lose Game 7 and be eliminated from the postseason, Sports Illustrated deemed Paul's tenure with the team a success and opined that he had reestablished himself as one of the best point guards in the NBA.[116]

  Phoenix Suns (2020–present)
  First Finals appearance (2020–2021)
  On November 16, 2020, the Thunder traded Paul and Abdel Nader to the Phoenix Suns for Kelly Oubre Jr., Ricky Rubio, Ty Jerome, Jalen Lecque, and a 2022 protected first round pick.[117] On February 1, 2021, Paul dropped a season-high 34 points, along with nine rebounds and nine assists, in a close 109–108 win over the Dallas Mavericks.[118] On February 19, he put up a season-high 19 assists while also scoring 15 points in a 132–114 win over the New Orleans Pelicans.[119] On February 23, Paul was selected to his 11th All-Star appearance, second in a row, as a Western Conference reserve.[120] With Devin Booker being named a replacement All-Star a day later, Paul and Booker were the first Suns duo since Steve Nash and Amar'e Stoudemire in 2010 to be named All-Stars.[121] On March 21, Paul logged his first triple-double of the season with 11 points, 10 rebounds and 13 assists in a 111–94 win over the Los Angeles Lakers, becoming the sixth player in NBA history to record 10,000 career assists.[122][123]

  In Game 2 of the Conference Semifinals against the Denver Nuggets, Paul recorded 17 points, 15 assists, and 0 turnovers in a 123–98 victory. This was Paul's third playoff game with at least 15 points, 15 assists, and 0 turnovers, the most in NBA history.[124] In Game 4, Paul scored 37 points on a 74 percent shooting (14-of-19) alongside seven assists in a 125–118 victory, leading the Suns to a 4–0 series sweep over the Nuggets for their first Western Conference Finals appearance since 2010.[125] On June 16, Paul was indefinitely sidelined as he entered the NBA's COVID-19 health and safety protocols.[126] Paul endured an eight-day isolation after testing positive for COVID-19 despite being vaccinated, which caused him to miss the first two games of the Western Conference Finals.[127] In Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals against the Los Angeles Clippers, Paul tied a playoff career-high 41 points, while putting up eight assists, in a 130–103 victory to close out the series, advancing to the NBA Finals for the first time in his career and the Suns' first appearance since 1993.[128][129] During the game Paul scored 31 out of his 41 points in the second half, becoming just the third player in the last 25 years to score at least 30 points in the second half of a series-clinching game.[130] In Game 1 of the NBA Finals against the Milwaukee Bucks, Paul put up 32 points, 16 of those in the third quarter, along with nine assists, in a 118–105 win.[131] The Suns jumped to a 2–0 lead in the series before losing in six games. Paul became the first player in NBA playoff history to lose four series in which his team led 2–0.[132] After the Finals ended, he had wrist surgery.[133]

  Franchise record in wins (2021–2022)

  Paul alongside LeBron James at the 2022 NBA All-Star Game
  On August 7, 2021, Paul signed a four-year contract extension with the Suns worth up to $120 million.[134] On October 22, Paul recorded 23 points and 14 assists in a 115–105 win over the Los Angeles Lakers, becoming the first player in league history to record 20,000 points and 10,000 assists in their career.[135] On November 2, Paul put up 14 points and 18 assists in a 112–100 win over the New Orleans Pelicans, moving past Mark Jackson and Steve Nash for third place on the NBA all-time career assists list.[136] On December 2, Paul put up 12 points and 12 assists in a 114–103 win over the Detroit Pistons, leading the Suns to their franchise-record 18th win in a row.[137] On January 24, 2022, Paul scored 27 points, grabbed nine rebounds and dished out 14 assists in a 115–109 win against the Utah Jazz.[138] On January 28, Paul logged his 18th career triple-double with 21 points, 10 rebounds, and 14 assists in a 134–124 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves.[139] The following game, Paul had a season-high 19 assists with 20 points and eight rebounds in a 115–110 win against the San Antonio Spurs.[140]

  On February 3, Paul recorded 18 points, 12 assists, and three steals in a 124–115 loss to the Atlanta Hawks who snapped Phoenix's 11-game winning streak.[141] This was Paul's 50th career game with 10 assists or more with no turnovers—the most such games in NBA history.[142] Before the game, he was named a reserve for the 2022 NBA All-Star Game.[143] On February 10, Paul tied his season-high 19 assists with 17 points and seven rebounds as he led the Suns to a 131–107 victory against the Bucks in a rematch of last year's NBA Finals. Paul finished with his 500th career double-double. He is just the fourth guard in NBA history to accomplish that feat.[144] On February 16, Paul broke his right thumb in a game against the Houston Rockets, just before the All-Star break. On March 24, Paul returned from a broken right wrist to help the Suns wrap up the top seed in the NBA playoffs with a 140–130 victory over the Denver Nuggets. He finished the game with 17 points and 13 assists.[145] On April 1, Paul surpassed Gary Payton for fourth on the NBA all-time career steals list.[146] On April 5, after a Phoenix’s 121–110 win over the Lakers, Paul became the first player in NBA history to be part of four teams to set a franchise record for victories in a single season.[147][148]

  In Game 1 of the first round of the playoffs, Paul scored 19 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter along with seven rebounds, 10 assists, and three steals on 12-of-16 shooting from the field in a 110–99 win over the New Orleans Pelicans. He also became the oldest player in NBA history to put up at least 30 points and 10 assists in a playoff game.[149][150] In Game 3, Paul scored 19 of his 28 points in the fourth quarter along with 14 assists to lead the Suns to a 114–111 win.[151] In Game 6, he closed the series with 33 points along with eight assists and five rebounds on 14-of-14 shooting, which set the record for the most field goals in a game without a miss in NBA playoffs history.[152] On May 2, in Game 1 of the Western Conference Semifinals, Paul moved past Tony Parker for fifth all-time in career playoff assists in a 121–114 win over the Dallas Mavericks.[153] The Suns jumped to a 2–0 lead in the series before losing in seven games. Paul became the first player in NBA playoff history to lose five series in which his team led 2–0.[154]

  11,000 assist club (2022–2023)
  On October 23, 2022, Paul recorded seven points, eight rebounds and eleven assists in an 112–95 win over his former team, the Los Angeles Clippers, with whom he played for six seasons and is the franchise's career assists leader. He joined John Stockton and Jason Kidd as the only players in NBA history with 11,000 assists. Paul also became the first player in the league with 20,000 points and 11,000 assists.[155] On October 30, Paul posted 15 assists along with 10 points and 0 turnovers in a 124–109 win over his former team, the Houston Rockets.[156] On December 19, Paul scored a then season-high 28 points and delivered eight assists in a 130–104 win over the Los Angeles Lakers.[157] On Christmas Day, Paul recorded 17 points, a then season-high 16 assists and 0 turnovers in a 128–125 overtime loss against the Denver Nuggets.[158]

  On January 22, 2023, Paul returned to the lineup after missing the previous seven games with a hip injury. He had 22 points, 11 assists, six rebounds and three steals to lead the Suns to an 112–110 win over the Memphis Grizzlies.[159] On January 28, Paul scored a season-high 31 points, along with seven rebounds and 11 assists in a 128–118 overtime win over the San Antonio Spurs.[160] On February 14, Paul posted 17 points and a season-high 19 assists in a 120–107 win over the Sacramento Kings.[161] The next game, Paul surpassed Michael Jordan for third on the NBA all-time career steals list.[162]

  National team career

  Paul with Team USA in 2012
  Paul made his debut for the United States national team at the 2006 FIBA World Championship in Japan.[163] He finished the competition with a tournament-high 44 assists, helping Team USA win the bronze medal in the process.[164] At the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, he played a key role off the bench, scoring 13 points in a gold medal game victory against Spain.[165] In addition to the gold medal, Team USA also finished the competition with a perfect 8–0 record.[163] Paul was promoted to the starting point guard position for the 2012 Olympics in London, averaging 8.2 points, 5.1 assists, and 1.6 steals per game en route to another gold medal and undefeated tournament.[166][167]

  Player profile
  Standing 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) tall and weighing 175 pounds (79 kg), Paul exclusively plays the point guard position.[32] His career averages are 18.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, 9.5 assists, and 2.1 steals per game.[32] He has earned All-NBA honors 11 times (2008, 2009, 2011–2016, 2020, 2021, 2022), All-Defensive honors nine times (2008, 2009, 2011–2017), and led the NBA in steals a record six times (2008, 2009, 2011–2014) and in assists five times (2008, 2009, 2014, 2015, 2022).[32] In 2013, he was ranked as the third-best player in the league by ESPN and Sports Illustrated.[168][66] In his 2014 NBA preview, ESPN's Kevin Pelton called Paul the league's best point guard, adding, "a title he's held throughout his career when healthy."[169] In 2022, to commemorate the NBA's 75th Anniversary The Athletic ranked their top 75 players of all time, and named Paul as the 30th greatest player in NBA history.[170]

  Paul prefers playing in the half court versus playing up-tempo.[169] He creates scoring opportunities by constantly changing speeds; upon beating his defender one-on-one or shedding him in the pick-and-roll, he will often slow down and box him out, denying him from regaining front side position and forcing the defense to help at all times.[66] His ability to penetrate deep into the paint leads to easy shots for his teammates, and in 2013, he was second in the league in assisted three-pointers.[169] As a playmaker, he is noted for his consistently high assist-to-turnover ratio,[171] averaging just 2.4 turnovers per game over his career.[32] A deft midrange shooter, he is especially proficient from the right elbow, leading the league in shooting percentage from that area in 2015.[172] On defense, he aggravates opponents with active hands and high effort,[66] and has been ranked as one of the best perimeter defenders in the NBA.[173]

  Off the court
  Paul is regularly ranked as one of the highest-paid athletes in the world by Forbes.[174] Some of the companies that he has done business with include Nike and State Farm.[175] For a State Farm ad campaign, he portrayed a fictional twin brother named Cliff Paul.[176] Paul was also the cover athlete for the video game NBA 2K8.[177]

  Paul was selected president of the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) on August 21, 2013, after having served on the executive committee for four years.[178] He was a key figure in the banning of Clippers owner Donald Sterling from the NBA following racist remarks Sterling made in 2014. In one interview, Paul mentioned a possible boycott if Sterling continued to own the team.[179] Paul also played a significant role in the election of Michele Roberts as the Executive Director of the Players Association, giving a strong recommendation to the executive committee responsible for filling the position.[180] On August 7, 2021, Paul's tenure as president ended when CJ McCollum was elected to the position.[181]

  Personal life

  Paul answers questions at a youth basketball camp in July 2009.
  Paul married his college sweetheart, Jada Crawley, on September 10, 2011.[182] Together they have two children, a son born in May 2009 and a daughter born in August 2012.[183] On November 11, 2011, Paul appeared with his family on Family Feud.[184]

  In a 2008 interview, Paul revealed that he is a Christian and attends church every Sunday whenever possible.[185] In another interview, Paul commented, "I am so thankful that my parents raised me and C.J. to depend on God's guidance and our faith in Him, and to always be thankful for what we receive."[186] He is an avid bowler and owns a franchise in the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) League called L.A.X.[187] He has hosted and participated in numerous celebrity and youth bowling events as the head of the CP3 Foundation, which benefits programs in Louisiana affected by Hurricane Katrina, as well as charities in Winston-Salem.[188][189][190] In 2018, Paul purchased a minority ownership stake in the Winston-Salem Dash, a minor league baseball team located in his hometown.[191]

  Paul's brother, C.J., played college basketball at Hampton University and University of South Carolina Upstate. In 2004, they played against each other when Wake Forest had a preseason exhibition with USC-Upstate.[192] C.J. now works as Chris's personal manager.[193] Paul is also close friends with American football player Reggie Bush; the two once lived in the One River Place complex in the New Orleans Central Business District while Bush was playing for the New Orleans Saints.[194] They also shared a personal chef.[195]

  Paul has been a vegan since 2019 and is a brand ambassador for Beyond Meat. Paul is also in partnership with Gopuff, with the intentions to expand the latter's selection of plant-based foods and products, particularly those made and distributed by black- and brown-owned businesses.[196][197]

  In December 2022, Chris Paul graduated from Winston-Salem State University with his bachelor's degree in communications.[198]

  Career statistics
  Legend
  GP Games played GS Games started MPG Minutes per game
  FG% Field goal percentage 3P% 3-point field goal percentage FT% Free throw percentage
  RPG Rebounds per game APG Assists per game SPG Steals per game
  BPG Blocks per game PPG Points per game Bold Career high
  * Led the league double-dagger NBA record
  NBA
  Regular season
  Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
  2005–06 New Orleans 78 78 36.0 .430 .282 .847 5.1 7.8 2.2 .1 16.1
  2006–07 New Orleans 64 64 36.8 .437 .350 .818 4.4 8.9 1.8 .0 17.3
  2007–08 New Orleans 80 80 37.6 .488 .369 .851 4.0 11.6* 2.7* .1 21.1
  2008–09 New Orleans 78 78 38.5 .503 .364 .868 5.5 11.0* 2.8* .1 22.8
  2009–10 New Orleans 45 45 38.0 .493 .409 .847 4.2 10.7 2.1 .2 18.7
  2010–11 New Orleans 80 80 36.0 .463 .388 .878 4.1 9.8 2.4* .1 15.9
  2011–12 L.A. Clippers 60 60 36.4 .478 .371 .861 3.6 9.1 2.5* .1 19.8
  2012–13 L.A. Clippers 70 70 33.4 .481 .328 .885 3.7 9.7 2.4* .1 16.9
  2013–14 L.A. Clippers 62 62 35.0 .467 .368 .855 4.3 10.7* 2.5* .1 19.1
  2014–15 L.A. Clippers 82 82 34.8 .485 .398 .900 4.6 10.2* 1.9 .2 19.1
  2015–16 L.A. Clippers 74 74 32.7 .462 .371 .896 4.2 10.0 2.1 .2 19.5
  2016–17 L.A. Clippers 61 61 31.5 .476 .411 .892 5.0 9.2 2.0 .1 18.1
  2017–18 Houston 58 58 31.8 .460 .380 .919 5.4 7.9 1.7 .2 18.6
  2018–19 Houston 58 58 32.0 .419 .358 .862 4.6 8.2 2.0 .3 15.6
  2019–20 Oklahoma City 70 70 31.5 .489 .365 .907 5.0 6.7 1.6 .2 17.6
  2020–21 Phoenix 70 70 31.4 .499 .395 .934* 4.5 8.9 1.4 .3 16.4
  2021–22 Phoenix 65 65 32.9 .493 .317 .837 4.4 10.8* 1.9 .3 14.7
  Career 1155 1155 34.5 .473 .369 .871 4.5 9.5 2.1 .1 18.1
  All-Star 11 4 24.7 .525 .468 .857 3.9 11.6double-dagger 2.4 .0 12.2
  Playoffs
  Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
  2008 New Orleans 12 12 40.5 .502 .238 .785 4.9 11.3 2.3 .2 24.1
  2009 New Orleans 5 5 40.2 .411 .313 .857 4.4 10.4 1.6 .0 16.6
  2011 New Orleans 6 6 41.7 .545 .474 .796 6.7 11.5 1.8 .0 22.0
  2012 L.A. Clippers 11 11 38.5 .427 .333 .872 5.1 7.9 2.7 .1 17.6
  2013 L.A. Clippers 6 6 37.3 .533 .316 .892 4.0 6.3 1.8 .0 22.8
  2014 L.A. Clippers 13 13 36.3 .467 .457 .774 4.2 10.3 2.8 .0 19.8
  2015 L.A. Clippers 12 12 37.1 .503 .415 .941 4.4 8.8 1.8 .3 22.1
  2016 L.A. Clippers 4 4 31.3 .487 .300 1.000 4.0 7.3 2.3 .0 23.8
  2017 L.A. Clippers 7 7 37.1 .496 .368 .879 5.0 9.9 1.7 .1 25.3
  2018 Houston 15 15 34.5 .459 .374 .830 5.9 5.8 2.0 .3 21.1
  2019 Houston 11 11 36.1 .446 .270 .844 6.4 5.5 2.2 .6 17.0
  2020 Oklahoma City 7 7 37.3 .491 .372 .885 7.4 5.3 1.6 .4 21.3
  2021 Phoenix 20 20 34.2 .497 .446 .877 3.5 8.6 1.2 .2 19.2
  2022 Phoenix 13 13 34.5 .561 .388 .946 4.2 8.3 1.5 .2 17.5
  Career 142 142 36.6 .486 .375 .856 4.9 8.3 1.9 .2 20.4
  College
  Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
  2003–04 Wake Forest 31 31 33.6 .496 .465 .843 3.3 5.9 2.7 .4 14.8
  2004–05 Wake Forest 32 32 33.4 .451 .474 .834 4.5 6.6 2.4 .0 15.3
  Career 63 63 33.5 .472 .470 .838 3.9 6.3 2.5 .2 15.0
  Filmography
  Television roles
  Year Title Role Notes
  2019 Scooby-Doo and Guess Who? Himself (voice) Episode: "Revenge of the Swamp Monster"
  Awards and honors
  Main article: List of career achievements by Chris Paul

  Paul runs the offense at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.
  NBA
  12× NBA All-Star: 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2020, 2021, 2022
  11× All-NBA Team:
  First Team: 2008, 2012, 2013, 2014
  Second Team: 2009, 2015, 2016, 2020, 2021
  Third Team: 2011, 2022
  9× NBA All-Defensive Team:
  First Team: 2009, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017
  Second Team: 2008, 2011
  NBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player Award: 2013
  NBA Rookie of the Year: 2006
  NBA All-Rookie First Team: 2006
  College
  First team consensus All-American: 2005[19]
  No. 3 retired by Wake Forest[27]
  2× All-ACC Team
  All-ACC First Team: 2005[199]
  All-ACC Third Team: 2004
  All-ACC Defensive Team: 2004
  All-ACC Freshman Team: 2004
  ACC Rookie of the Year: 2004
  All-ACC Tournament Second Team: 2004
  United States national team

  Paul with Team USA in 2012
  2× Olympic gold medalist: 2008, 2012
  FIBA World Championship bronze medalist: 2006
  USA Basketball Male Athlete of the Year: 2004

• NBA - https://www.nba.com/news/qa-chris-paul

  The Q&A: Chris Paul talks old vs. new NBA
  Thunder's veteran guard explains how NBA defense has changed over the years

  John Schuhmann
  John Schuhmann
  Archive
  February 21, 2020 11:23 PM

  At the age of 34, Chris Paul is having one of the most efficient seasons of his career, leading the Oklahoma City Thunder in what some might consider a surprisingly successful season. (Paul would disagree with that consideration, by the way.)

  As they begin their post-break schedule with a game against the Denver Nuggets on Friday (8 ET, ESPN), the Thunder are in sixth place in the Western Conference, just two games behind the team that traded Paul, two first-round picks and two pick swaps for Russell Westbrook last summer. OKC is on pace to win the same number of games as it did last season, when it had Westbrook and Paul George (who finished third in MVP voting).

  For his efforts in leading that kind of recovery, Paul was selected to his 10th All-Star Game, four years after his previous appearance. And on Sunday, he had his highest-scoring All-Star performance of the 10, shooting 7-for-11 from 3-point range and finishing with 23 points for the victorious Team LeBron.

  At All-Star weekend in Chicago, NBA.com sat down with Paul at the launch event of PlayersTV, a network (in which Paul is an investor) for athlete-driven content set to launch in March on Samsung TV Plus. He discussed the need for such a platform, and then the conversation turned to basketball, pick-and-roll defense and mid-range shooting, teaching and learning from Kobe Bryant, and mentoring Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

  NBA.com: What are you guys trying to accomplish with PlayersTV?

  Chris Paul: I think one of the biggest things was being able to provide content for guys who may otherwise not be able to have their stuff on ESPN or other platforms. What’s really cool about is just about everybody who does any type of entertainment or advertising, they use athletes. So this is a place where content can be created and be a hub where athletes have an opportunity to tell stories.

  Are you going to be in the background, or will you be a content creator yourself?

  I’m definitely a content creator. Absolutely. The cool thing about it is that a lot of guys already have production companies and different things going on. And now, we have somewhere their stories can live and we’re able to tell the stories that sometimes other people try to tell for us.

  The guy who may be a role player for eight or nine years may have a story to tell. Now there’s somewhere it can live. And guys can support one another and bring people to the platform.

  So if you’re creating content, what might we learn about you?

  Who knows? It’s not just me, either. Fortunately, I’m able to tell my story day in and day out. It’s about all the athletes as a whole and seeing what we can do together. It gives more and more players a voice and an opportunity for fans to see them.

  Gerald Green, a teammate of mine in Houston, just popped into my head. Fans loved him. Loved him. And there are a whole lot of layers to Gerald. But sometimes he can’t tell his story.

  Are you surprised at all with how well the Thunder have played this season?

  Nope. I’m surprised our record isn’t better. I’m wired like that.

  But going into the season, there had to be more questions than the season before in Houston. When you were with the Clippers, there was always a lot of talent. There wasn’t a greater degree of doubt this time?

  I know me. I know y’all got a job to do. Y’all are going to predict this [or that]. But you got to play the games. I’ve never stepped on the court in a game like, “We’re probably not going to win this.” But there’s probably guys in the league who do that, you know what I mean? I don’t work like that. No.

  You’ve been Mr. Clutch this season.

  Note: Paul leads the league in points scored with the game within five points in the last five minutes of the fourth quarter or overtime.

  We’ve played a lot of close games. If you play a lot of close games, you’re going to score.

  Well, you’ve also shot 55% on clutch shots.

  OK. Well, that’s pretty good.

  If you’re running a pick-and-roll late in the game, how do know that you can get to your spot?

  Because it’s a copy-cat league. It’s a copy-cat NBA. So, in my last year with the Clippers, we went to a drop. You know what I’m talking about when I say drop.

  The big defender drops back into the paint to protect the basket.

  Me and DeAndre Jordan, the two years before that, we were the best pick-and-roll defenders in the league.

  When he was playing up …

  When he was playing up, because we used to play like that. Then in my last year with the Clippers, we went to the drop. And me and DJ were actually talking about this the other day. We were mad when we came into camp and went to that drop. But it’s a copy-cat league. Everybody went into this drop to play the percentages.

  Right. And over 82 games, over 48 minutes, it makes sense. But there are certain times when you can’t let a guy get to an open shot.

  I also think, “Win the game. Win the game.” You can do all the analytics that you want to, but at the end of the day, win the game. So if I perfect this shot and that’s the shot that you’re giving me, I’m going to take it. Then, if you come up, now I’m going to adjust to that. But the thing about the NBA, every single night, how do they guard the ball screen now?

  They drop, except for one or two teams. Chicago plays up.

  They play up. And it’s funny, when you play against them and you watch the games, people start turning the ball over, because they don’t know.

  Right. They lead the league in opponent turnover percentage.

  Do they? That’s because guys now don’t know the reads. That was the old NBA, when everybody guarded like that.

  That’s a good point. Guys are so used to playing against a drop now and so used to the reads against a drop coverage …

  It’s like having the answers to a test. If I know the guy is back, I’m getting right there to shoot it.

  But playing against a team that brings the big man up, like the Heat when they had the Big Three, is a lot different.

  The big man is up, the low man is over.

  So, Shai is my man. That’s like my little brother. Shai, when we play against those teams that are up, he’s like, “C, what’s the read? What’s the read?” And I’ll be laughing, because that was the old NBA. And now it’s a copy-cat league and a lot of bigs will be guarding like Shaq used to guard, just sit back in the paint. So guards know they’re either getting to their floater or, if they’re a 3-point shooter, they’re stopping at the 3-point line.

  And you’re a mentor to Shai?

  I’ll be real hard on him, though. Last night [the last game before the All-Star break], he got a foul … Jrue Holiday. So Shai watches the games with me. Even after our home games, he’ll come over to the condo and watch games. Shai got a foul on Jrue Holiday in our game last night. And it’s funny, because I didn’t even look at him, but he wouldn’t look at me. So when we got in at halftime, I said, “You good?” And he was like, “I wasn’t even gonna look at you.” Because I have a problem with pump fakes.

  I don’t go for pump fakes. You know why? I played against Sam Cassell in my first or second year in the league. And I got three fouls on him in one game, because Sam Cassell would come down, [mimics a pump fake] and lean into me. And then I had an epiphany. I am not a shot-blocker. And I tried to explain this to Shai and he doesn’t understand it. If you don’t jump and you just stand there and contest it, and he makes it? Good shot. But if I jump, now you’re either going to go by me or lean into me. So I don’t go for pump fakes.

  The other day, after he hit a mid-range game-winner, Spencer Dinwiddie said that Kenny Atkinson doesn’t want him shooting mid-range shots unless it’s at the end of the game. And I get that, because over 82 games or even 48 minutes, if he shoots 40% from mid-range, that’s not a good return on 10 or 100 shots.

  You’re different. You’re shooting 55% from mid-range. But even for a 40% mid-range shooter, in a late-game situation when you need a bucket, that may be where you can get the cleanest look.

  Dennis Schroder … I don’t know what his percentage is this season …

  Note: Schroder has shot a solid 47% from mid-range, the 11th best mark among 67 players with at least 100 mid-range attempts.

  But coming into the season, I don’t think it was great. But just like anything, I got to show you that I can do it. If I show you that I can do it, then they’re going to be cool with it. But if you’re not good at it, don’t shoot it.

  Because I’m also a firm believer that if you got a 3-point shot and you take one foot in, I hate that shot. If you’re going to be that close to the 3-point line, you might as well shoot a 3.

  Right. Your 2-point shots are generally 18 feet and in.

  Note: 93% of Paul’s mid-range shots have come from 18 feet and in.

  Right. I’m gonna get to my spot. And referencing Kobe, and I tell all the young guys this … Kobe against the Phoenix Suns in the playoffs, I think it was overtime …

  The game-winner from the elbow.

  Right. He didn’t even look at the rim one time. When I’m dribbling in the lane, there are spots on the floor, I don’t have to look at the rim once you hit the spot.

  The one thing about that shot that I always remember is the way it ripped through the net. It was one of the most pure swishes you will ever see.

  Just look at him when he gets the ball. He never looked at the rim.

  That reminds me. One of my distinct memories from covering the 2008 Olympics was you and Kobe talking about pick-and-rolls on the court before one of your exhibition games in Macao or Shanghai. Do you remember that?

  Vaguely. But around that time, the snake that everybody does, I started doing that with Tyson my second year in the league.

  Note: The snake is where a pick-and-roll ball-handler changes direction after dribbling past the screen in order to keep his initial defender on his back.

  I just came up with it in practice, because back then, everybody used to go under on me, because I couldn’t really shoot … I could shoot, but it’s just anxiety when you’re young. You can shoot, but you just don’t make in in the game.

  So everybody used to go under [the screen] on me. So we had Tyson start setting it at an angle, and I realized that if I cut back, the defender was going to be behind me and it was going to force a 2-on-1. And that was when I was a lot more athletic, so I would either finish with a layup or throw the lob to Tyson. Now, at this point, I snake, I don’t want to get to the rim.

  So that’s what you were talking about with Kobe?

  Yeah, I was definitely talking about that, getting the defender on my hip.

  What were you learning from him in that same time frame?

  One of the biggest things Kob made me pay attention to was footwork. And it’s crazy, because my percentages this year in the mid-post are awful. But I’ve always been able to play off left-foot or right-foot pivot.

  Note: According to Second Spectrum tracking, Paul has shot 2-for-11 (18%) on post-ups this season after shooting 63-for-128 (49%) over the last three seasons.

  In our GM Survey, you always get a lot of votes as the active player that will make the best head coach someday. Do you want to coach?

  No chance. It’s the time. I don’t want to travel like that. I want to be around the game as much as possible. I watch every game. But I want to be around my kids and family.

• Andscape - https://andscape.com/features/chris-paul-time-for-change/

  Chris Paul: ‘It was time for a change’
  Rockets guard says trade was best for him and the Clippers

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  Los Angeles Clippers v New Orleans Pelicans
  Chris Paul #3 of the Los Angeles Clippers during the game against the New Orleans Pelicans on December 31, 2015 at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. Jonathan Bachman/NBAE via Getty Images
  Marc J. Spears
  By Marc J. Spears
  @MarcJSpears
  July 11, 2017
  Chris Paul held his emotions about departing from the Los Angeles Clippers after six seasons in check. Well, that was until he broke the news to his 8-year-old son, Chris Paul II.

  That’s when reality hit. Lob City was over. Goodbyes needed to be said in his beloved Los Angeles. An ultracompetitive Paul’s thirst for winning led him to try something new in Houston by joining fellow NBA All-Star James Harden and the much-improved Rockets.

  “The funniest person I had to tell about it was my daughter,” Paul told The Undefeated. “When I told her, she just looked at me and said, ‘Is Mommy coming?’ That’s the rawness of kids. My daughter is 4, and she don’t care where we go, she just wants her mommy there.

  Chris Paul of the Los Angeles Clippers and his son Chris watch the game between the Michigan State Spartans and the Providence Friars during the championship game of the DirecTV Wooden Legacy at Honda Center on November 29, 2015 in Anaheim, California.

  HARRY HOW/GETTY IMAGES
  “Little Chris was definitely the toughest. When I told him, he cried, which broke me down.”

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  In an exclusive interview with The Undefeated on Monday night, Paul spoke publicly for the first time about his decision to leave the Clippers for the Rockets. The nine-time NBA All-Star said it was best for him and the Clippers to move on after six seasons that did not include a Western Conference finals appearance. Now in his prime at 32 years old, Paul believes he can finally quench his thirst for victory in Houston and has no regrets.

  “It had nothing to do with who was in L.A., but more to do with who was in Houston,” Paul said.

  Paul spoke in-depth about life on and off the court with the Clippers, saying goodbye to L.A. and hello to a town he doesn’t know well in Houston, his love for his supportive wife, Jada, his hopes of playing with his buddy Carmelo Anthony in Houston, and more.

  How did you come to the decision to make a change to the Rockets?

  For me, first of all, I love the Clippers and the organization. [Owner] Steve Ballmer has been unbelievable. The relationship I made with him over the last few years is something that won’t go anywhere. I’m grateful, thankful and so blessed. I feel like I’m leaving Los Angeles with nothing but love.

  So why leave the Clippers?

  I feel like the last six years we’ve had a great run. I felt like it was not only a good time for change for me, but for the team, too. Everyone says, ‘We get killed. We can’t get there. We just can’t get over the hurdle.’ I felt like it was time for change.

  How do you look back on your franchise-altering time with the Clippers? Do you see yourself getting your jersey retired there one day?

  That is up to the organization and how they feel. I got an opportunity to grow here. It’s unreal to think about the times that we had. … We had some good runs.

  Did you reach out to former Clippers teammates Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan about your decision?

  Absolutely, I reached out to D.J. and Blake and talked to some of those guys. Jamal Crawford, some of those guys. One of the people I reached out to and talked to was [actor/Clippers fan] Billy Crystal. You have different people that come to support you night in and night out. Joe and Sharon Hernandez, I used to give them dap before every game. A guy named Steve Soboroff, who sits courtside.

  And just these fans. There are fans in this Section 114. They got tattoos a few years ago that said 114. I wanted to reach out and say, ‘Thank you for the last six years.’ I just wanted to let them know their genuine kindness and support did not go unnoticed.

  How did you tell Clippers coach and president Doc Rivers you wanted to be traded to the Rockets?

  I don’t think we need to get into all that stuff. We met. We talked. We both agreed it was time for a change.

  Were you surprised the Clippers wanted change?

  Surprised? I don’t think so. Both teams were able to get something out of it.

  Did you want to help the Clippers get something in return for you?

  Absolutely. The organization has been nothing but great to me. My relationship with Ballmer has been unbelievable. No question.

  What can you say about your relationship with Coach Rivers?

  Doc was an unbelievable coach the past four years with the things I got a chance to learn and hear. I always say that my late [Wake Forest] coach Skip Prosser had so many different things he would say. He would say, ‘Never delay gratitude. … If you can’t be on time, be early.’ All that good stuff.

  There are certain things that Doc has said the past four years, where when I find myself with my AAU team or kids, I say. I say all the same stuff. I’m grateful for the past four years. But not only Doc; [assistant coach] Armond Hill was someone I got really close with. I’m going to miss those guys. Our athletic trainer, Jasen Powell, became like family to me. My teammates. I’m going to miss them.

  Rivers recently told The Undefeated that he didn’t always see eye to eye with you, but he always respected you. What do you think of those words?

  Absolutely. I feel like in any relationship whoever it is … hell, me and my brother [C.J.] don’t always see eye to eye. But I always have the ultimate respect for [Rivers], and I’m grateful for the last four years.

  What will you miss the most about the end of “Lob City”?

  It’s crazy to look back at the videos of us six years ago. No one ever saw anything like that. I’m going to miss those guys. When you’re together that long, you’re more than teammates.

  Did you feel when you walked off the floor after losing a deciding Game 7 of a first-round series against the Utah Jazz that you had played your last game with the Clippers?

  No. No. I know we lost Game 7. I didn’t know. I didn’t think about it. I don’t even operate like that. I’m all about that moment. I’m trying to figure out why we lost and what I could do to help us win. I didn’t know that was my last time.

  Is it true that you and Clippers guard Austin Rivers had a good phone conversation after you decided to go to Houston? (SportsCenter’s Michael Eaves reported that Paul resented Doc Rivers because he and other teammates thought the head coach was coddling his son Austin.)

  Just like I called Blake and those guys, I called Austin. I wish him the best of luck with what he has going on in the future. … No, that report wasn’t true. If anything, Austin has grown up a lot and is getting better. I heard the report. It’s not worth responding to.

  What influence did Rockets All-Star James Harden and your former New Orleans Hornets teammates Trevor Ariza and Bobby Brown, both with the Rockets now, have on your decision?

  They had somewhat of a role. Obviously, the relationship with Bobby and Trevor … [Ariza and I] had one season in New Orleans where we got close. Bobby did the same thing. It’s basketball, too. I don’t know if it was just watching and seeing them play.

  What was James’ influence on your decision?

  Just how excited he would be about the opportunity. It showed a lot of selflessness. The fact that it’s all about winning. We talked, obviously, he had a great year last year. Everything was about winning games. … He just said he wants to win.

  Are you guys co-point guards? How do you make it work? How do two All-Stars so great with the ball make it work together?

  I don’t know. You just do it. You just find a way.

  The San Antonio Spurs reportedly were high on your list of prospective teams. What can you say about your interest in the Spurs?

  I wouldn’t even know what to say. The Spurs are the Spurs.

  How good do you think the Rockets can be?

  That’s completely up to us. I’m excited about getting there and getting integrated into the city. It’s an exciting time.

  You have played an instrumental role in mentoring and giving to the Brotherhood Crusade, which has served people of color in L.A. for almost 50 years. You furnished the computer room and donated computers through your charity foundation. You also received the 2016 Brotherhood Crusade’s Pioneer of African-American Achievement award. When you visit, as scheduled, with those kids on Tuesday, what are you going to say?

  Tough, man. When things like this happen and change … I’m actually a person that is not big on change. I’m all about my family and things like that. And when you make decisions like this, you start to realize that it not only impacts you and your family but also these kids that you have gotten close to. I spent time here in L.A. with the Brotherhood Crusade, which I’ve done different events and worked with. It’s one thing to explain things to adults who understand the business. But sometimes kids don’t understand when this stuff happens. For me, it’s about going over there and talking to them and letting them know that the work that we’ve started and that we’ve been doing, just because I’m changing addresses to play basketball, my love and support for them don’t change.

  What do those kids mean to you?

  I tell them all the time that I enjoy spending time with them, hearing their stories and talking to them about life. They enjoyed me coming by and seeing them. Just like this other group, L.A.’s Best, this group of kids we always work with, what they give to me is honesty. That is one of the biggest things that kids give you. They are unfiltered.

  If I see them after we had a tough game, they are going to let me know. They’re going to be like, ‘Why y’all lose to them, man? Why did you do this? Why did you do that?’ When we showed them the new computer lab and the computers that we gave them … they immediately go to the internet and go to YouTube, Googling things. They are quick to show me an air ball that I missed. It’s the genuineness of some of the kids I appreciate.

  How would you describe your time in Los Angeles?

  Oh, my goodness. I’m going to miss so much. Other than North Carolina, this has become home for me and my family. For my kids, this is all they’ve really known. The community and the people. My neighborhoods. My friends. My kid’s friends that they went to school with. And Clippers fans have been not only amazing to me but unbelievable to my family. Me and my crew, when we come somewhere, it’s not just me.

  This is all my kids have pretty much known. My son is 8, and we’ve been here for six years. We really have come to know a lot of different people who were friends and family now. A lot of people in the Clippers organization have become family to us.

  What do you know about Houston, and what are your plans there off the court?

  First things first, I have to get there and figure out where I’m going to live. It’s kind of unexpected for us. I’m excited. I don’t know much. I am excited about finding out more. Obviously, I’ve played against Houston a number of times, but I’ve never spent real time there. [Former Clippers teammate] Brandon Bass got married there a couple of years ago. The All-Star Game has been there twice. Other than that …

  My wife is the one. No support system, no rock like her. My wife is the one trying to make these tough decisions. She gets it. She knows how much I love this game and how competitive I am. This whole thing is about competition. I’m the most competitive person I know. For me, it’s all about having the best opportunity at having a shot at one of those rings. I’m not built for [losing]. I won’t settle for less. And she knows that.

  When everything started happening and all the conversations about the kids and the schools, she said, ‘Wherever you go, you just let them know it’s a plus three.’ It’s unbelievable. Words can’t explain it. I get an opportunity to go out, work, play basketball and be the best player that I can be. She slowed down for me. She knows how bad not only that I want it, but we want it. I’m grateful for that. Decisions like these are tough. You got someone in your corner who says, ‘If you think this is it, we’ve talked about it, let’s do it.’

  The 25th ESPY Awards return to Los Angeles on Wednesday. At last year’s ESPYS, you, LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony and Dwyane Wade gave a surprise social conscience speech that centered around the need for gun violence and police brutality to stop. What do you recall about that speech?

  It was more so about us getting that message out there and showing that as athletes we do have a voice and really talking about action. Obviously, we’re still talking about that. Like we said then, ‘It’s about the action.’

  When are you going to Houston?

  I got AAU tournaments going on with my young kids. My wife has been down there trying to find a house. But as soon as possible we want to get there so we can figure out school for the kids and stuff like that.

  Any calls or texts from other NBA players that stood out after you chose Houston?

  ’Bron [James], Melo [Anthony] and D [Wade] obviously hit me about how happy they were for me. Guys like Rudy Gay, Jarrett Jack reached out. I’ve talked to D.J. [Jordan] a lot. That means a lot. He’s from Houston.

  What can you say about Melo possibly being a teammate if the New York Knicks trade him to Houston or make him a free agent by buying him out?

  Man, sit back and wait.

  Marc J. Spears is the senior NBA writer for Andscape. He used to be able to dunk on you, but he hasn’t been able to in years and his knees still hurt.

• People - https://people.com/parents/craig-melvin-son-delano-interviews-chris-paul/

  Watch Craig Melvin's Son Delano Interview Chris Paul for 'Nightly News: Kids Edition'
  "My dad is still my hero," Chris Paul told Craig Melvin's son, Delano, during their chat for Nightly News: Kids Edition
  By Angela Andaloro

  Published on January 26, 2023 03:46 PM
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  Craig Melvin's son stepped up to interview an NBA star and didn't break a sweat.

  The Today personality's 8½-year-old son Delano appears as a correspondent for NBC Nightly News: Kids Edition, sitting down with the Phoenix Suns' Chris Paul in a fun interview clip shared with PEOPLE exclusively.

  "What were you like as a kid?" Delano asks.

  "It's probably a different answer, if you ask me and if you ask my parents," the NBA star replies. "I was active, very active. And I had an older brother, I had an older brother who I fought all the time."

  Paul remembers how he "played football and basketball" and was a "kid that was always into something."

  Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

  Chris Paul family
  CHRIS PAUL INSTAGRAM
  When it came to school, Paul says, "I was a pretty good student, but I think I used to always get in trouble for talking in class. So my grades would be good, but I'd have unsatisfactory as far as behavior."

  "That sounds like my dad," quips Delano, making Paul laugh. He then asks the basketball player inspires him.

  "Obviously, my kids, my wife, but the first person who always pops into my head is my dad," he shares. "My dad is like my end all, be all."

  "For me, being 37 years old, there's going to come a point in time in your life too, where you feel like you're grown. You probably gonna be about 13 and start talking back," he tells Delano, who starts looking from side to side and giggling.

  Craig Melvin Says Being a Better Dad to His Kids Was 'Motivation' to Reconcile with His Father
  craig melvin
  LINDSAY CZARNIAK/INSTAGRAM
  "Well, I'm 37, and I still want my dad's approval," the NBA star continues. "I got kids of my own, got my own family, but my dad is still like my hero. If you fortunate enough to have that, from the looks of it, you're on the right track."

  Delano thanks Paul for the interview, and Craig — who shares Delano and daughter Sybil, 6, with wife Lindsay Czarniak —then pops on to thank him as well, leaving Paul a little starstruck. "I gotta tell my wife," he laughs.

  Paul shares daughter Camryn, 10, and son Chris Jr., 13, with wife Jada Paul.

  NBC Nightly News: Kids Edition, anchored by Lester Holt, airs Thursday at 4 p.m. ET on NBCNews.com and Saturday morning on NBC (check your local listing).

• ESPN - https://www.espn.com/nba/news/story?page=CP3Book-091007

  No tall tales in CP3's children's book
  Oct 7, 2009
  Anna Katherine Clemmons
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  It was the night before one of his most important high school basketball games when Chris Paul learned that his beloved grandfather, Papa Chilly, was dead. Several teenagers had beaten to death Papa Chilly, whose real name was Nathaniel Jones, outside of his Winston-Salem, N.C., home, a few miles from the Paul house.

  Paul asked his aunt what to do and she told him to score 61 points, one for every year of his grandfather's too-short life. Paul's coach didn't want him to play, but Paul demanded that he start. Teammates thought he should pass the ball, but Paul kept shooting. When he finally hit a
  basket for his improbable 61st point and was fouled, he intentionally misfired at the free throw line, avoiding a possible 62nd point. Then he walked toward the bench, collapsed into his parents' arms, and wept.

  Now, over a decade later, Paul has found another way to honor his grandfather. Papa Chilly is one of the main characters in Paul's new autobiographical children's book, "Long Shot: Never Too Small to Dream
  Big," which tells the tale of a young Chris Paul wanting to try out for the basketball team but fearing he's too small. The book is also dedicated to Paul's grandfather, who he thanks along with the rest of his family for "believing in me, my dreams and the endeavors that life brings my way."

  The book focuses on Paul's dreams to make the grade school team, despite his size and the criticism he hears from others. Paul writes when describing his worries over trying out for the team, "I
  remembered that the average height of a player in the NBA was 6 feet 7 inches tall. I was only 4 feet 1 inch tall. And I wasn't going to get much taller in the next few days."

  Paul decided to write the book almost two years ago. He and his older brother, CJ, had talked about finding a way to tell Chris' story of overcoming long (or in his case, short) odds to become one of the league's best pro players.

  Chris was barely 5-1 when he started high school and tried out for the basketball team. CJ and his friends made fun of Chris, teasing him about his height, which is also incorporated in the book. But Papa Chilly
  and Paul's parents taught the feisty player to believe in himself and his abilities. "The concept is definitely things I went through and it's funny how it comes full circle," Chris says. "Everyone thought I was too
  small as a kid and many people think I'm too small now to play in the NBA."

  Chris Paul shares his story to children in words and pictures. Charles Eshelman/Getty Images
  Deciding to write the book was the easy part. Then came the hours he and CJ spent outlining before meeting with illustrator Frank Morrison, whose likenesses of the Paul family are impeccable, right down to the hairstyles. "I had to make sure it sounded like me but also that the kids could relate to it," Paul says. "And you have to make sure the wording is right, so that it's not too complicated."

  CJ, who works as his brother's business manager, encouraged the idea from the early stages. "I thought it'd be good for him to tell his story so people can get to know him and how it hasn't always been this way," CJ says. "He was very small and everyone was bigger than him, but he had a bigger heart than everyone."

  That message is also delivered in the book's pages through the words of his parents, such as when his mom tells him, "Basketball isn't the only thing that matters. Your family matters. Your education does too. And worrying about your height won't make you any better. Just do the best you can with the gifts you have."

  Paul recently conducted a mini-book tour in New York to celebrate the book's release, making stops at talk shows hosted by Charlie Rose and Jimmy Fallon while also visiting various schools. Later in the week, he returned to his native Winston-Salem to shoot an episode of Rick Reilly's "Homecoming" on the Wake Forest University campus to be aired on ESPN in the spring. The taping kicked off his fourth annual Chris Paul charity weekend in his hometown, an important endeavor to the Paul family.

  Paul hosted a book reading with local elementary school children at the Boys and Girls Club followed by a Q&A session. Paul answered each question with a smile, recalling with surprising
  clarity almost every teacher he had from kindergarten through high school ("I can't believe I remember that!" he remarked after naming his third-grade teacher).

  The weekend and book were a collaborative process with his family and agency, a lesson that Paul wants to teach his readers. "If you can show these kids at an early age that you never do it on your own and there's always different people helping you, then why not give back in that way?" Paul says.

  The book unveiling was one part of the charity weekend, which Hornets coach Byron Scott and teammate Morris Peterson also attended. Later that morning, the trio put together Hero Boxes for troops abroad, played basketball with Special Olympians and handed out food and supply boxes to Winston-Salem residents in need.

  In the evenings, Paul hosted a dinner in honor of the late Skip Prosser, who was Paul's coach at Wake Forest, as well as a bowling tournament (it's a sport he's grown to love almost as much as basketball). All the money raised went toward Paul's foundation and the various causes he supports, many with Winston-Salem ties.

  "I've been here every weekend since Chris started this," says Scott. "I think what he's doing for the community, giving back to Winston-Salem, everyone understands that he's proud of where he comes
  from. He's doing what most NBA players should be doing and giving back."

  Scott confessed he hadn't yet read the book but would ask Paul for a copy to read before the season started.

  Paul recently became a father, and says he looks forward to one day reading to his 4-month-old son, Chris.

  "Hopefully it will give a lot of kids a lot of hope that dreams do come true, so continue to dream and pray and it can happen," the elder Chris' mother, Robin, says.

  "It can inspire kids from all different ages, to let them know that whatever their dream is, dream big," Peterson says. "Chris was one of the smallest guys growing up and he didn't let that stop him from
  accomplishing his goals. That's what we want to stress to the kids, no matter what is going on or how physically you're challenged, if you put your mind to it, you can do it."

  No detail is left uncovered, such as when Paul writes on the morning of the tryouts, "My heart was pounding. I wondered if anyone could see it thumping out of my chest. … I knelt down and retied my sneakers. Then I took a few deep breaths."

  Does Paul prevail and make the team? Readers will have to wait and find out, but given that the book parallels Paul's life, the ending isn't too hard to guess. Papa Chilly reminds Paul to "work harder than
  everyone else on the court and your size won't matter," a lesson that Paul felt was important to include in the book's pages.

  Now that he's found success both on the court and in the publishing world, might Paul follow up with another book?

  "I think so, I really enjoyed the process," Paul says. "At the end of the day, if it inspires
  many or just one kid, then it's a job well done."

  Anna Katherine Clemmons is a reporter for ESPN The Magazine.

• Barron's - https://www.barrons.com/articles/chris-paul-phoenix-suns-nba-interview-99f72c5e

  NBA All-Star Chris Paul on the Most Important Thing to Look for When Investing
  By Weston Blasi, MarketWatch
  Feb. 16, 2023 1:09 pm ET
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  Phoenix Suns star Chris Paul.
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  Phoenix Suns guard Chris Paul is many things. He’s an NBA All-Star and new teammate of Kevin Durant, but he’s also an investor, author, commercial pitchman and dad.

  Paul, 37, recently published a children’s book titled “Basketball Dreams” that he says is somewhat of a “love letter” to his late grandfather.

  In our early morning interview, the unexpectedly talkative Paul discussed, among other topics, why he’ll be competing with LeBron James even after they retire, and the one item he would run in and grab if his house was on fire.

  MarketWatch: You’ve just released a new book. Why write a book, and why a children’s book?

  Chris Paul: The first book I wrote was back in 2008. And at the time, I wasn’t a father yet. I think it’s the importance of just making sure kids dream. In the story it talks about hard work, my dream of wanting to be like my grandfather and eventually being a basketball player. It’s about making sure kids know it’s okay to dream.

  Have your kids seen the book? Have they given it the stamp of approval?

  Oh yes. All the little details of the book were amazing. And I’ll tell you this, though, the audiobook, I think it’s what made it more special because my kids actually recorded a version of it.

  I wanted to ask you about retirement. You don’t strike me as a person who wants to just sit on a beach when he retires. What does post-basketball life look like for you?

  That’s a good question.

  I don’t mean to get too existential—I know it’s early in the morning.

  No, no, it’s cool. But it’s something that I don’t think about much to tell you truth because I’m still just so in it. One thing I do know, is that when I do retire, I’m still going to be involved in business. I have production company, I have all these different things going on. I think the thing I look most forward to is actually being a dad. I think my wife does an amazing job right now. She takes the kids here, there, to every event. And I think the hardest part for me is that I don’t get the chance to do that, so that’s the biggest thing that I’m looking forward to is actually being present.

  Other basketball stars like LeBron James and Kevin Durant say they want to own an NBA team when they are done playing. Does that interest you?

  No question. Being the president of the (players) union for eight years, and knowing all the intricacies of teams, of the CBA (collective bargaining agreement), of everything about the NBA, I think that would be a positive transition into ownership of a team.

  Michael Jordan is the only former player who is a majority owner, right? That would be cool, in the 2030s if you and LeBron can battle it out again as owners.

  (laughs) It would be amazing. Like I said, I’ve had the opportunity to play so I feel like I know the business from all different aspects.

  Speaking of LeBron, what did you think of him breaking the scoring record? Is this record ever going to be broken again?

  I think it’s going to be really hard to do. Another record like that is John Stockton’s assist record. I think ‘Bron set this bar so high that I don’t really see anybody coming through breaking it because not only do you have to be unbelievably good, but you have to be healthy and be able to do it for a long time.

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  What’s the best financial advice that you’ve ever been given?

  The 70/30 rule as far as what you bring in and what you spend. I think the biggest thing that I’ve always paid attention to especially as a professional athlete, it’s understanding that I will not play forever. When I came in as a young player, I tried to make sure I was living off my endorsements. I think the hardest thing for people in general is making sure that you don’t give into peer pressure and everything else that is going on around you.

  Peer pressure of what?

  It’s not just athletes, but a lot of times people try to keep up, right? So what happens is, you’ll be a young guy in a locker room and you see a veteran NBA player driving around in a Rolls-Royce and the young guys think they can do it too. Just making sure you stay true to who you are, and not trying to make it a competition with people around you.

  How do you like to invest your money?

  I like to invest in things I believe in. When you’re younger and you come into this league, you try to do sponsorship deals, but as I got older, I realized these need to be partnerships and equity-based deals. And so that’s what I really like to be involved in. It could be tech, it could be sports. I’m part owner of a cricket team.

  What’s one thing you don’t mind splurging on?

  The one thing I want to splurge on is an experience.

  What’s an experience you recently went on?

  Last summer my family and I went on a boat for a week and then we did a week in Paris and London. That’s the biggest thing that I learned is that if it’s an experience with my family and my kids, something that you know we’ll have memories of and we won’t forget—these experiences are what really makes life what it is.

  What’s your favorite possession? If your house was on fire, and you can run inside and get just one thing?

  That’s funny man. This is great I haven’t heard some of these questions in a long time. The answer to that is I have the ball I scored 61 points in when I was in high school, the day after my grandfather was murdered. So I have that ball and that would be the thing I get.

  Have you made any big money mistakes in your life?

  Absolutely.

  Let’s hear ’em!

  One of the things that people always say if they got a big sum of money? Everybody always says ‘I’d invest it’. But most people don’t even know what that means.

  I think a mistake that I made was sometimes people will come to you with amazing, unbelievable ideas. ‘Do this, do this.’ And then I invest my money into it. You have to realize that you’re not just investing in the idea, but investing in that person. If that person isn’t driven and focused, then your investment is going to go to shit. I learned not to invest in just an idea but the person that is going to be operating [the business].

  This article originally appeared on MarketWatch.

  Write to editors@barrons.com

Paul, Chris SIXTY-ONE St. Martin's (NonFiction None) $29.99 6, 20 ISBN: 9781250276711

The upbringing and values that shaped one of the best players in the NBA.

Writing with longtime ESPN writer and TV host Wilbon, it's clear that Paul isn't interested in merely recapping his basketball career, which is ongoing and will lead to induction into the Hall of Fame when the time comes. Instead, the book is a tribute to Paul's grandfather Nathaniel "Papa" Jones, who owned a gas station in Winston-Salem ("as far as we knew, his station was the first Black-owned gas station in North Carolina") and whom Paul considers to be his "biggest influence" and "my real-life superhero." From the author's loving depiction, it's easy to see why. Growing up, Paul spent countless hours at the gas station absorbing his grandfather's example of hard work, a value Paul applied to his basketball career to great effect in high school and as a star at Wake Forest and in the NBA. Papa's "stained hands were legendary," he writes, "and had more of an impact on our family and community than anything I can do on a basketball court." In 2002, their community was shattered when Papa was murdered at the age of 61. In Paul's next high school game, he scored 61 points in honor of his grandfather. That game serves as the primary narrative thread, with Paul leaving and returning to it every few chapters as he fills in the context around it. By the time the game is over, Paul has demonstrated clearly to readers how much his formative years mattered to him. The author also seeks to convey this to his two children. One of the more moving aspects of the book is when Paul shares his experiences with his children in an attempt to mitigate the reality-distorting privilege that comes from having him as their father. Throughout, the author movingly passes along the love he received from Papa and the rest of his family.

A fresh and refreshing take on the athlete memoir.

Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2023 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
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MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
"Paul, Chris: SIXTY-ONE." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Jan. 2023, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A733021281/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=25e61249. Accessed 16 Mar. 2023.

Basketball Dreams. By Chris Paul. Illus. by Courtney Lovett. Jan. 2023.32p. Roaring Brook, $18.99 (9781250810038). PreS-Gr. 2.796.323.

In this picture-book memoir, NBA star Chris Paul tells what he learned by observing his grandfather, who ran his own service station. As a child, Chris would often stop by and watch him work. Along the way, Papa Chilly inspired his grandson and became his model for how to live. Observing him, Chris learned to rise early and work hard at his job, be polite to his elders, and always be ready to listen and lend a helping hand to his teammates, neighbors, and friends. On the basketball court, when young Chris was teased about his small stature, he would remember Papa Chilly telling him to "show by doing," and reply by shooting a three-pointer. Lovett's digital artwork is bold, energetic, and emotionally expressive. A combination of childhood memoir and tribute to a beloved relative, Paul's simply expressed personal narrative comes across as a celebration without sentimentality. While young aspiring athletes will find inspiration and advice here, the simply expressed, fundamental values are applicable far beyond sports and can lead to success in any field. --Carolyn Phelan

Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2022 American Library Association
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Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
Phelan, Carolyn. "Basketball Dreams." Booklist, vol. 119, no. 5-6, 1 Nov. 2022, p. 60. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A727772583/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=4b2f4ebb. Accessed 16 Mar. 2023.

Paul, Chris BASKETBALL DREAMS Roaring Brook Press (Children's None) $18.99 1, 10 ISBN: 978-1-250-81003-8

An NBA star pays tribute to the influence of his grandfather.

In the same vein as his Long Shot (2009), illustrated by Frank Morrison, this latest from Paul prioritizes values and character: "My granddad Papa Chilly had dreams that came true," he writes, "so maybe if I listen and watch him, / mine will too." So it is that the wide-eyed Black child in the simply drawn illustrations rises early to get to the playground hoops before anyone else, watches his elder working hard and respecting others, hears him cheering along with the rest of the family from the stands during games, and recalls in a prose afterword that his grandfather wasn't one to lecture but taught by example. Paul mentions in both the text and the backmatter that Papa Chilly was the first African American to own a service station in North Carolina (his presumed dream) but not that he was killed in a robbery, which has the effect of keeping the overall tone positive and the instructional content one-dimensional. Figures in the pictures are mostly dark-skinned. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Blandly inspirational fare made to evoke equally shrink-wrapped responses. (Picture book. 6-8)

Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2022 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
"Paul, Chris: BASKETBALL DREAMS." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Oct. 2022, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A721918151/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=d80dfa74. Accessed 16 Mar. 2023.

"Paul, Chris: SIXTY-ONE." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Jan. 2023, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A733021281/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=25e61249. Accessed 16 Mar. 2023. Phelan, Carolyn. "Basketball Dreams." Booklist, vol. 119, no. 5-6, 1 Nov. 2022, p. 60. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A727772583/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=4b2f4ebb. Accessed 16 Mar. 2023. "Paul, Chris: BASKETBALL DREAMS." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Oct. 2022, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A721918151/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=d80dfa74. Accessed 16 Mar. 2023.

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