Chris Paul
Encyclopedia
Christopher Emmanuel Paul (born May 6, 1985) is an American
professional basketball
point guard
for the New Orleans Hornets.
Paul was born and raised in North Carolina
. Despite only playing two varsity basketball seasons in high school, he was a McDonald's All-American and accepted a scholarship with nearby Wake Forest University
. After his sophomore year with the Demon Deacons
, he declared for the draft. Since being selected 4th overall in the 2005 NBA Draft
by New Orleans, Paul has been a NBA Rookie of the Year
(2006), a four-time All-Star
, and an multiple All-NBA and All-Defensive team
honoree. He led the Hornets to the second round of the 2008 NBA Playoffs
. He has also won an Olympic Gold Medal with the United States national basketball team
.
Off the court, Paul is a notable ten-pin bowler
and a sponsored spokesperson for the United States Bowling Congress
(USBC). He has participated in numerous celebrity and youth bowling events as the head of the CP3 Foundation to benefit programs in Louisiana
after Hurricane Katrina
, and charities in Winston-Salem.
Besides athletics, the Paul brothers spent their summers operating the cash register, rotating tires and changing air filters at Jones Chevron, a service station owned by their grandfather Nathanial Jones on their mother Robin's side. Affectionately known as "Papa Chili" throughout the community, Jones had operated the station, Jones had operated the first such African-American-operated service station in North Carolina since 1964 during the height of the Civil Rights Movement
. Paul describes his grandfather as "his best friend" and credits many life lessons to him.
, where C.J. was already a star junior at point guard. Despite Paul's talent, he was at a significant disadvantage due to his stature. Paul opted to play on the JV basketball team his freshman and sophomore years, believing that the opportunity to gain confidence and experience on the JV would be more beneficial than sitting on the bench on varsity. Meanwhile, Paul grew to by his sophomore year.
By the time Paul had ascended to the varsity squad as a junior, C.J. had graduated. The Paul brothers only ended up playing on the court for 15 seconds together at the end of a playoff game in Paul's sophomore year and C.J.'s senior year in 2001. Paul, who spurted another eight inches to , posted 25.0 points, 5.3 assists and 4.4 steals per game to help West Forsyth (26–4) reach the state semifinals. Over the next summer, Paul emerged as a heavily recruited point guard. With his family watching, Paul signed his letter of intent to Wake Forest University
to play for coach Skip Prosser
before his senior year. Only 13 miles away from where he grew up in Lewisville, Paul had already verbally committed to them during his junior year and attended many Demon Deacons practices and games.
Tragically, only a day after signing his letter of intent, the corpse of Nathanial Jones was discovered by Paul's father. Jones died after being beaten and robbed by a group of teens as he unloaded groceries from his car in his driveway. Five teenagers tied Jones’ hands behind his back, taped his mouth, and beat him around the head and face. Jones, who had a history of heart trouble, lay in his carport and died from cardiac arrhythmia. He was 61. Over 2,000 people honored the memories of Jones at his funeral four days later. The next day, fueled by the suggestion of an aunt, an emotionally devastated Paul scored 61 points in honor of his grandfather, one point for every year his grandfather lived, in West Forsyth's 2002–03 season opener.
Despite Paul's previous career high being 39 points, by halftime, he had racked up 32 points in 16 minutes. When Paul reached the 61-point mark late in the 4th quarter, he purposely airballed a free throw, then took himself out of the game to hug his family on the sidelines, even though the state high school scoring record of 66 points was well within reach. In 2011,
Paul averaged 30.8 points, 9.5 assists, 5.9 rebounds, and 6.0 steals per game the remainder of his senior year and led his team to a 27–3 record and the Class 4A Eastern Regional finals. He was a 2003 McDonald's All-American and Jordan Brand Classic
participant and was named North Carolina's Mr. Basketball for 2003 by The Charlotte Observer
.
rival Reyshawn Terry), to the 2002 National U-17 AAU Championship over an All-Ohio team led by 2003 McDonald's All-American Drew Lavender, taking home the tournament's MVP award in the process.
and played for the Demon Deacons for two seasons, leading the school to two NCAA Tournaments, and one Sweet Sixteen
appearance. In Paul's freshman year, he started and made a immediate impact. He was named the ACC Rookie of the Year, Third Team All-ACC, an All-American Honorable Mention, and National Freshman of the Year by several publications as averaged 14.8 points and 5.9 assists a game and helped the Demon Deacons reach the Sweet Sixteen of the 2004 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
before losing to St. Joseph's
. Paul also broke five Wake Forest freshman records, three-point percentage, free throws, free throw percentage, assists and steals.
Paul also earned ACC All-Defensive Team honors during his time at Wake and was among the Consensus First Team All-Americans in his sophomore year. He was also a named to the 2005 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America Team with a 3.21 Grade point average as a third-term selection. By the time he declared for the 2005 NBA Draft
as a sophomore, he had finished near the top of almost every offensive category at Wake Forest.
After his sophomore year, Paul declared for the 2005 NBA Draft
. The Demon Deacons went 48–16 (.750) in games Chris Paul played in. Paul was ranked second among Wake Forest's all-time career leaders for 3-point shooting percentage (.469), and 7th in assists and steals.
. Due to the devastation of Hurricane Katrina
that summer to the city of New Orleans, Paul did not play his first full season in New Orleans. Instead, the team played in various arenas and relocated to Oklahoma City
, Oklahoma
. The Hornets only played three games in New Orleans Arena
.
Paul led all rookies in points, assists, steals, and minutes, earning him the 2006 NBA Rookie of the Year Award
. Paul was a near-unanimous winner for the award, but one voter (Ron Boone
, television analyst for the Utah Jazz) gave Deron Williams
his vote instead of Paul. This, along with the fact that both were taken back to back in the draft and play the same position, has led to an on-court rivalry between Paul and Williams. Their rivalry began on December 1, 2004 when Paul led his No. 1-ranked Wake Forest into Champaign to face Williams' Illini. Illinois thrashed the Demon Deacons 91–73 and took the top spot from there into their run to the 2005 NCAA Championship Game. Williams had 8 points and 11 assists while Paul was held to 10 points.
Paul finished the 2005–06 season averaging 16.1 points, 7.8 assists, and 5.1 rebounds. He was also the only unanimous selection to the 2005–06 NBA All Rookie First Team and was named Western Conference
Rookie of the Month every month in the 2005–06 season. After the season, Paul won the ESPY Award
for Best Breakthrough Athlete. He recorded his first triple-double on April 2, 2006 against the Toronto Raptors
with 24 points, 12 rebounds, and 12 assists.
Paul was not named an All-Star in 2007, but he was named to replace Steve Nash
in the 2007 PlayStation
Skills Challenge during All-Star Weekend. He played in the T-Mobile
Rookie Challenge
and dished out 17 assist
s and had 9 steal
s, both T-Mobile Rookie Challenge records. When interviewed during the Rookie Challenge, Paul vowed that he would be an All-Star next season, as the All-Star Game would be held in New Orleans.
The 2007–08 season brought the full return of the Hornets to the city of New Orleans. Emerging as a true superstar, Paul averaged 21.1 points and 4 rebounds, and led the NBA in steals with 2.71 per game and assists with 11.6 per game. He was selected by NBA coaches to play in the 2008 NBA All-Star Game
which was hosted by the city of New Orleans, thereby fulfilling his vow from the previous season. Paul's teammate David West
was named as an All-Star reserve and Hornets coach Byron Scott
coached the Western Conference All-Stars.
During All-Star Weekend
, Paul participated again in the 2008 All-Star PlayStation Skills Challenge winning the first round but losing in the final round to Deron Williams
. Paul sparked a 4th quarter comeback for the Western Conference in the All-Star Game, but the East held on to win 134–128. He finished the game with 16 points, 14 assists and 5 steals.
Paul continued his stellar play following the All Star game, leading the New Orleans Hornets to one of the best records in the West. After a 37 point, 13 assist, and 3 steal performance by Paul against the Chicago Bulls on March 17, 2008, Paul led a 4th quarter comeback win, the Hornets ascended to the top of the standings in the Western Conference. On April 4, 2008, Chris Paul helped the Hornets clinch a playoff spot for the first time since the 2003–04 season. The Hornets ultimately finished the season with a 56–26 record, the best record in team history, and finished #2 overall in the NBA Western Conference standings. Paul ended the season leading the NBA with 11.6 assists and 2.71 steals per game, and registered a steal in all 80 games he played in.
In Paul's first NBA playoff game against the Dallas Mavericks
, he scored 35 points, with 24 coming in the second half, along with 10 assists and 4 steals. In Game 2, he scored 32 points and set a franchise playoff-record 17 assists, leading the Hornets to a 127–103 victory to go 2–0 against Dallas. After splitting Games 3 and 4 in Dallas
, the Hornets eliminated the Mavericks, 4–1, in Game 5 for their first ever playoff series victory behind a 24 point, 11 rebound, and 15 assist performance from Paul.
He finished second in MVP voting, behind Kobe Bryant
, who beat him with a margin of 306 votes. He was selected for the All-NBA First Team, 3 votes shy of a unanimous choice.
Paul has reportedly reached an agreement on a three-year extension with the Hornets with a player option with a fourth year, with a total value of $68 million.
For the second season in a row Paul finished the season as the league leader in assists and steals. He also scored a career best 22.8 points per game on a career best percentage of 50.3%. Paul participated in his second NBA All Star Game starting for the Western Conference All Stars.
On December 17, 2008, against the San Antonio Spurs
, Paul broke Alvin Robertson
's 22-year-old NBA record by registering at least one steal in 106 consecutive games. The new record reached 108 consecutive games before ending on Christmas Day against the Orlando Magic
. On December 26, Paul collected 27 points, 10 rebounds, 15 assists and seven steals against the Philadelphia 76ers
, becoming the only player in NBA history to reach those statistical numbers in an NBA game.
After the season, Paul was selected to the NBA All-Defensive Team
first team, and the All-NBA second team. He was also fifth in the 2009 MVP voting, receiving two first place votes and a total of 192 points.
, who has been involved with the franchise since 1995. Paul stirred controversy by announcing his displeasure with the move and thought the team management should have "consulted with me and asked how I felt before it happened", but clarified that he didn't expect to be asked to give approval. The next day, Paul suffered a left ankle sprain
against the Portland Trail Blazers
that resulted in eight missed games as the Hornets went 4–4. Once Paul returned on December 9, New Orleans won 18 of their next 28 games, including a six-game winning streak. He earned his third All-Star appearance as a reserve guard, finishing third with 1,055,789 votes behind Kobe Bryant
and Steve Nash
.
In early February, an MRI
revealed a torn
meniscus
in Paul's left knee after it was tweaked in two consecutive games in late January. On February 4, he underwent arthroscopic surgery performed by renowned sports physician James Andrew
in Florida. Sidelined for nearly eight weeks, Paul, who was averaging 20.4 points and an NBA-best 11.2 assists, missed 25 Hornets games and the 2010 NBA All-Star Game
, where his reserve spot was filled by Denver Nuggets
point guard Chauncey Billups
. On March 22, Paul returned to action since January 29 against the Chicago Bulls
, and was inserted in the starting lineup for the game against the Dallas Mavericks, moving Darren Collison
out of the starting lineup, who started at point guard during Paul's absence.
, Paul collided with Cavalier player Ramon Sessions
and had to be carried off by stretcher after lying motionless on the ground. He missed 2 straight games. In his return on March 12, 2011 against the Sacramento Kings
, he scored a season high 33 points, and had 15 assists, 7 rebounds and 5 steals in the Hornets' 37th win of the season.
Paul's brother, C.J. played basketball at Hampton University
on a scholarship after graduating from West Forsyth in 2001, before transferring to University of South Carolina Upstate
(USC-Upstate) to finish out his career. In 2004, the Paul brothers played against each other in a college game as Wake Forest participated in a preseason exhibition with USC-Upstate. C.J. now works as his brother's personal manager, on advice given by Miami Heat
forward LeBron James
, one of Paul's closest friends.
Paul still grasps the laminated obituaries of his grandfather, who died in 2002, and grandmother, who died in 1993, and says a prayer during the national anthem before each game.
Paul and former New Orleans Saints
and current Miami Dolphins
running back
Reggie Bush
are close friends and lived in the same complex in the Central Business District
of New Orleans
while Bush was a Saint. They also shared a personal chef.
During the second season of ESPN's It's the Shoes, Paul revealed to Bobbito Garcia
that the "CP3" nickname comes from family tradition. The combination of his initials and jersey number is strictly a coincidence. His father (Charles Paul) and older brother (C.J. Paul) are nicknamed CP1 and CP2, respectively. Paul also notes that all three men's initials are CEP."
Whenever Chris scores during a Hornets home game the PA Announcer will simply say "CP3!" and then play a sound byte of legendary pro wrestler Ric Flair
's famous "Wooooo!" quote. Flair, who is an avid Hornets fan and whose loyalty stuck with the team even after they relocated from Charlotte to New Orleans, attended every Hornets home game in their 2008 Western Conference Semi-Final Series against the San Antonio Spurs
and introduced the starting lineups at a home game against the Golden State Warriors
.
In 2008, Paul appeared on the NPR news quiz show "Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me!," where he went three-for-three in the "Not My Job" game.
Rupert Bell Rec, a domed court used by the Paul brothers during their childhood was featured in the 2007 videogame NBA Street Homecourt.
On November 1, 2011, Chris appeared with his family on the game show Family Feud
, hosted by Steve Harvey.
sports drinks, Right Guard
deodorant and Nike
's Team Jordan
brand, where he has released several editions of his shoe "Air Jordan CP3.#". He also has several partner brands and organizations which includes Topps
, Fox 8, Upper Deck
, and Vitamin Water. The deals collectively earn him around $4 million annually according to Forbes
. In 2007, Paul was the cover athlete for the video game NBA 2K8.
Paul has been represented by agents Jeff Austin and Leon Rose under the agencies LRMR Marketing
and Creative Artists Agency since 2010. Paul had been affiliated with Octagon Worldwide.
Fifth player in NBA history to lead the league in assists and steals in the same season
Only player in NBA history to lead the league in assists and steals in consecutive seasons (–)
Seasons leading the league in steals: 3
Most games with at least one steal, season: 80
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
point guard
Point guard
Point guard , also called the play maker or "the ball-handler", is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position – essentially, he is expected to run the team's offense by controlling the ball and making sure that...
for the New Orleans Hornets.
Paul was born and raised in North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
. Despite only playing two varsity basketball seasons in high school, he was a McDonald's All-American and accepted a scholarship with nearby Wake Forest University
Wake Forest University
Wake Forest University is a private, coeducational university in the U.S. state of North Carolina, founded in 1834. The university received its name from its original location in Wake Forest, north of Raleigh, North Carolina, the state capital. The Reynolda Campus, the university's main campus, is...
. After his sophomore year with the Demon Deacons
Wake Forest Demon Deacons men's basketball
The Wake Forest Demon Deacons men's basketball team participates in the Atlantic Coast Conference and their homecourt is the Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Their only Final Four appearance was in 1962 and through the years they have produced several NBA players. The Demon Deacons have...
, he declared for the draft. Since being selected 4th overall in the 2005 NBA Draft
2005 NBA Draft
The 2005 NBA Draft took place on June 28, 2005 in the Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City. In this draft, NBA teams took turns selecting amateur college basketball players and other first-time eligible players, such as players from high schools and non-North American leagues...
by New Orleans, Paul has been a NBA Rookie of the Year
NBA Rookie of the Year Award
The National Basketball Association's Rookie of the Year Award is an annual National Basketball Association award given since the 1952–53 NBA season, to the top rookie of the regular season. The winner receives the Eddie Gottlieb Trophy, which is named in honor of the Philadelphia Warriors head...
(2006), a four-time All-Star
All-star
All-star is a term designating an individual as having a high level of performance in their field. Originating in sports, it has since drifted into vernacular and been borrowed heavily by the entertainment industry...
, and an multiple All-NBA and All-Defensive team
NBA All-Defensive Team
The NBA All-Defensive Team is an annual National Basketball Association honor given since the 1968–69 NBA season to the best defensive players during the regular season. Voting is conducted by the NBA head coaches; the coaches are not allowed to vote for players on their own team...
honoree. He led the Hornets to the second round of the 2008 NBA Playoffs
2008 NBA Playoffs
The 2008 NBA Playoffs was the postseason for the National Basketball Association's 2007–08 season which ended with the Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics defeating the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers 4–2....
. He has also won an Olympic Gold Medal with the United States national basketball team
United States national basketball team
The United States men's national basketball team represents the United States of America in international men's basketball. The USA is the most successful team in international competition, winning medals in all sixteen Olympic tournaments it has entered, coming away with thirteen golds...
.
Off the court, Paul is a notable ten-pin bowler
Ten-pin bowling
Ten-pin bowling is a competitive sport in which a player rolls a bowling ball down a wooden or synthetic lane with the objective of scoring points by knocking down as many pins as possible.-Summary:The lane is bordered along its length by semicylindrical channels Ten-pin bowling (commonly just...
and a sponsored spokesperson for the United States Bowling Congress
United States Bowling Congress
The United States Bowling Congress is a sports membership organization dedicated to ten-pin bowling in the United States. It was formed in 2005 by a merger of the American Bowling Congress, Women's International Bowling Congress, Young American Bowling Alliance, and USA Bowling...
(USBC). He has participated in numerous celebrity and youth bowling events as the head of the CP3 Foundation to benefit programs in Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
after Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
, and charities in Winston-Salem.
Early years
Chris Paul was born in Lewisville, North Carolina in 1985 as the second son of Charles Edward Paul and Robin Jones, two years after Charles "C.J." Paul in 1983. Charles and Robinson were childhood friends who grew up in Winston-Salem and were members of Dreamland Park Baptist before marrying in 1982. A former athlete himself, Charles taught his sons the games of basketball and football and coached them in various youth events throughout their childhood. Paul was a gifted athlete, going to the national Pop Warner football championships as a quarterback and linebacker on the Lewisville Titans Junior Pee Wee team, and winning several 14U AAU national tournaments in basketball.Besides athletics, the Paul brothers spent their summers operating the cash register, rotating tires and changing air filters at Jones Chevron, a service station owned by their grandfather Nathanial Jones on their mother Robin's side. Affectionately known as "Papa Chili" throughout the community, Jones had operated the station, Jones had operated the first such African-American-operated service station in North Carolina since 1964 during the height of the Civil Rights Movement
Civil rights movement
The civil rights movement was a worldwide political movement for equality before the law occurring between approximately 1950 and 1980. In many situations it took the form of campaigns of civil resistance aimed at achieving change by nonviolent forms of resistance. In some situations it was...
. Paul describes his grandfather as "his best friend" and credits many life lessons to him.
High school
In 1999, Paul begun attending West Forsyth High School in Clemmons, North CarolinaClemmons, North Carolina
Clemmons is a village in Forsyth County, North Carolina and a suburb of Winston-Salem. The population was 18,627 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Clemmons is located at ....
, where C.J. was already a star junior at point guard. Despite Paul's talent, he was at a significant disadvantage due to his stature. Paul opted to play on the JV basketball team his freshman and sophomore years, believing that the opportunity to gain confidence and experience on the JV would be more beneficial than sitting on the bench on varsity. Meanwhile, Paul grew to by his sophomore year.
By the time Paul had ascended to the varsity squad as a junior, C.J. had graduated. The Paul brothers only ended up playing on the court for 15 seconds together at the end of a playoff game in Paul's sophomore year and C.J.'s senior year in 2001. Paul, who spurted another eight inches to , posted 25.0 points, 5.3 assists and 4.4 steals per game to help West Forsyth (26–4) reach the state semifinals. Over the next summer, Paul emerged as a heavily recruited point guard. With his family watching, Paul signed his letter of intent to Wake Forest University
Wake Forest University
Wake Forest University is a private, coeducational university in the U.S. state of North Carolina, founded in 1834. The university received its name from its original location in Wake Forest, north of Raleigh, North Carolina, the state capital. The Reynolda Campus, the university's main campus, is...
to play for coach Skip Prosser
Skip Prosser
George Edward "Skip" Prosser was an American college basketball coach who was head men's basketball coach at Wake Forest University at the time of his death. He was the only coach in NCAA history to take three separate schools to the NCAA Tournament in his first year coaching the teams...
before his senior year. Only 13 miles away from where he grew up in Lewisville, Paul had already verbally committed to them during his junior year and attended many Demon Deacons practices and games.
Tragically, only a day after signing his letter of intent, the corpse of Nathanial Jones was discovered by Paul's father. Jones died after being beaten and robbed by a group of teens as he unloaded groceries from his car in his driveway. Five teenagers tied Jones’ hands behind his back, taped his mouth, and beat him around the head and face. Jones, who had a history of heart trouble, lay in his carport and died from cardiac arrhythmia. He was 61. Over 2,000 people honored the memories of Jones at his funeral four days later. The next day, fueled by the suggestion of an aunt, an emotionally devastated Paul scored 61 points in honor of his grandfather, one point for every year his grandfather lived, in West Forsyth's 2002–03 season opener.
Despite Paul's previous career high being 39 points, by halftime, he had racked up 32 points in 16 minutes. When Paul reached the 61-point mark late in the 4th quarter, he purposely airballed a free throw, then took himself out of the game to hug his family on the sidelines, even though the state high school scoring record of 66 points was well within reach. In 2011,
Paul averaged 30.8 points, 9.5 assists, 5.9 rebounds, and 6.0 steals per game the remainder of his senior year and led his team to a 27–3 record and the Class 4A Eastern Regional finals. He was a 2003 McDonald's All-American and Jordan Brand Classic
Jordan Brand Classic
The Jordan Brand Classic, presented by Foot Locker is a high school All-Star basketball game played annually in April. The game's rosters feature the best and most highly-recruited high school boys in the senior class. The 2011 game will mark the 10th anniversary of the Jordan Brand Classic.The...
participant and was named North Carolina's Mr. Basketball for 2003 by The Charlotte Observer
The Charlotte Observer
The Charlotte Observer, serving Charlotte, North Carolina and its metro area, is the largest newspaper, in terms of circulation, in North Carolina and South Carolina...
.
Summer circuit
Though he did not win a state championship while in high school, Paul did take the Winston-Salem-based Kappa Magic (alongside future University of North CarolinaUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States...
rival Reyshawn Terry), to the 2002 National U-17 AAU Championship over an All-Ohio team led by 2003 McDonald's All-American Drew Lavender, taking home the tournament's MVP award in the process.
College career
Paul attended Wake Forest UniversityWake Forest University
Wake Forest University is a private, coeducational university in the U.S. state of North Carolina, founded in 1834. The university received its name from its original location in Wake Forest, north of Raleigh, North Carolina, the state capital. The Reynolda Campus, the university's main campus, is...
and played for the Demon Deacons for two seasons, leading the school to two NCAA Tournaments, and one Sweet Sixteen
NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single-elimination tournament held each spring in the United States, featuring 68 college basketball teams, to determine the national championship in the top tier of college basketball...
appearance. In Paul's freshman year, he started and made a immediate impact. He was named the ACC Rookie of the Year, Third Team All-ACC, an All-American Honorable Mention, and National Freshman of the Year by several publications as averaged 14.8 points and 5.9 assists a game and helped the Demon Deacons reach the Sweet Sixteen of the 2004 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
2004 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 2004 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 16, 2004, and ended with the championship game on April 5 at the Alamodome in San Antonio,...
before losing to St. Joseph's
Saint Joseph's University
Saint Joseph's University is a private, coeducational Roman Catholic Jesuit university located partially in the Wynnefield section of Philadelphia and partially in Lower Merion Township and located in the Pennsylvania Main Line, Pennsylvania, United States.The school was founded in 1851 as Saint...
. Paul also broke five Wake Forest freshman records, three-point percentage, free throws, free throw percentage, assists and steals.
Paul also earned ACC All-Defensive Team honors during his time at Wake and was among the Consensus First Team All-Americans in his sophomore year. He was also a named to the 2005 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America Team with a 3.21 Grade point average as a third-term selection. By the time he declared for the 2005 NBA Draft
2005 NBA Draft
The 2005 NBA Draft took place on June 28, 2005 in the Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City. In this draft, NBA teams took turns selecting amateur college basketball players and other first-time eligible players, such as players from high schools and non-North American leagues...
as a sophomore, he had finished near the top of almost every offensive category at Wake Forest.
After his sophomore year, Paul declared for the 2005 NBA Draft
2005 NBA Draft
The 2005 NBA Draft took place on June 28, 2005 in the Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City. In this draft, NBA teams took turns selecting amateur college basketball players and other first-time eligible players, such as players from high schools and non-North American leagues...
. The Demon Deacons went 48–16 (.750) in games Chris Paul played in. Paul was ranked second among Wake Forest's all-time career leaders for 3-point shooting percentage (.469), and 7th in assists and steals.
2005–2006: Rookie stardom
Paul was selected fourth overall by the New Orleans Hornets in the first round of the 2005 NBA Draft2005 NBA Draft
The 2005 NBA Draft took place on June 28, 2005 in the Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City. In this draft, NBA teams took turns selecting amateur college basketball players and other first-time eligible players, such as players from high schools and non-North American leagues...
. Due to the devastation of Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
that summer to the city of New Orleans, Paul did not play his first full season in New Orleans. Instead, the team played in various arenas and relocated to Oklahoma City
Oklahoma city
Oklahoma City is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma.Oklahoma City may also refer to:*Oklahoma City metropolitan area*Downtown Oklahoma City*Uptown Oklahoma City*Oklahoma City bombing*Oklahoma City National Memorial...
, Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
. The Hornets only played three games in New Orleans Arena
New Orleans Arena
New Orleans Arena is an indoor arena in New Orleans, Louisiana. It is located in the city's Central Business District, adjacent to the Mercedes-Benz Superdome....
.
Paul led all rookies in points, assists, steals, and minutes, earning him the 2006 NBA Rookie of the Year Award
NBA Rookie of the Year Award
The National Basketball Association's Rookie of the Year Award is an annual National Basketball Association award given since the 1952–53 NBA season, to the top rookie of the regular season. The winner receives the Eddie Gottlieb Trophy, which is named in honor of the Philadelphia Warriors head...
. Paul was a near-unanimous winner for the award, but one voter (Ron Boone
Ron Boone
Ronald Bruce Boone is a retired American Basketball Association player.During his years at Tech High in North Omaha, Nebraska, Boone stood 6'2" and weighed 175 pounds....
, television analyst for the Utah Jazz) gave Deron Williams
Deron Williams
Deron Michael Williams , nicknamed D-Will, is an American basketball player currently with the New Jersey Nets of the National Basketball Association . Williams has also played for the Utah Jazz of the NBA and Beşiktaş of the Turkish Basketball League...
his vote instead of Paul. This, along with the fact that both were taken back to back in the draft and play the same position, has led to an on-court rivalry between Paul and Williams. Their rivalry began on December 1, 2004 when Paul led his No. 1-ranked Wake Forest into Champaign to face Williams' Illini. Illinois thrashed the Demon Deacons 91–73 and took the top spot from there into their run to the 2005 NCAA Championship Game. Williams had 8 points and 11 assists while Paul was held to 10 points.
Paul finished the 2005–06 season averaging 16.1 points, 7.8 assists, and 5.1 rebounds. He was also the only unanimous selection to the 2005–06 NBA All Rookie First Team and was named Western Conference
Western Conference (NBA)
Below is a list of current Western Conference NBA team rosters.-Western Conference:There are a total of 15 teams in the Western Conference. The current leading team of the Western conference are the Dallas Mavericks....
Rookie of the Month every month in the 2005–06 season. After the season, Paul won the ESPY Award
ESPY Awards
An ESPY Award is an accolade presented by the American cable television network ESPN to recognize individual and team athletic achievement and other sports-related performance during the calendar year preceding a given annual ceremony. The first ESPYs were awarded in 1993...
for Best Breakthrough Athlete. He recorded his first triple-double on April 2, 2006 against the Toronto Raptors
Toronto Raptors
The Toronto Raptors are a professional basketball team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1995, along with the Vancouver Grizzlies, as part of the NBA's re-expansion...
with 24 points, 12 rebounds, and 12 assists.
2006–07 season
Still playing in Oklahoma City, Paul followed up his impressive rookie campaign with a solid sophomore season. He improved his scoring average to 17.3 points, and improved his assists average with 8.9 per game. He averaged 4.4 rebounds per game. Paul's season was riddled with injuries though, as he was limited to playing in only 64 games.Paul was not named an All-Star in 2007, but he was named to replace Steve Nash
Steve Nash
Stephen John "Steve" Nash, OC, OBC is a South African-born Canadian professional basketball player who plays point guard for the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association . Nash enjoyed a successful high-school basketball career, and he was eventually given a scholarship by Santa Clara...
in the 2007 PlayStation
PlayStation
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...
Skills Challenge during All-Star Weekend. He played in the T-Mobile
T-Mobile
T-Mobile International AG is a German-based holding company for Deutsche Telekom AG's various mobile communications subsidiaries outside Germany. Based in Bonn, Germany, its subsidiaries operate GSM and UMTS-based cellular networks in Europe, the United States, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands...
Rookie Challenge
Rookie Challenge
The Rookie Challenge is an exhibition basketball game held by the National Basketball Association on the Friday before the annual All-Star Game as part of the All-Star Weekend....
and dished out 17 assist
Assist (basketball)
In basketball, an assist is attributed to a player who passes the ball to a teammate in a way that leads to a score by field goal, meaning that he or she was "assisting" in the basket. There is some judgment involved in deciding whether a passer should be credited with an assist...
s and had 9 steal
Steal (basketball)
In basketball, a steal occurs when a defensive player legally causes a turnover by his positive, aggressive action. This can be done by deflecting and controlling, catching, or batting to a teammate a pass or dribble of an offensive player...
s, both T-Mobile Rookie Challenge records. When interviewed during the Rookie Challenge, Paul vowed that he would be an All-Star next season, as the All-Star Game would be held in New Orleans.
2007–08 season
2008 NBA All-Star Game
-Eastern Conference roster:The Boston Celtics, the team with the league's best record, came into New Orleans with three players. Kevin Garnett, top vote-getter in the league with 2,399,148 votes, was selected as a starter, while Paul Pierce and Ray Allen were selected as reserves by the coaches of...
which was hosted by the city of New Orleans, thereby fulfilling his vow from the previous season. Paul's teammate David West
David West (basketball)
David Moorer West is an American professional basketball player who has most recently played with the NBA's New Orleans Hornets...
was named as an All-Star reserve and Hornets coach Byron Scott
Byron Scott (basketball)
Byron Antom Scott is a retired American National Basketball Association player and current head coach of the NBA's Cleveland Cavaliers. He was formerly the head coach of the NBA's New Jersey Nets and New Orleans Hornets. He attended Arizona State University, but left school in his junior year to...
coached the Western Conference All-Stars.
During All-Star Weekend
NBA All-Star Weekend
The National Basketball Association holds an All-Star Weekend every February, the festival has a variety of basketball-related events, exhibitions, and performances culminating in the NBA All-Star Game held on Sunday night.-The All-Star Game:...
, Paul participated again in the 2008 All-Star PlayStation Skills Challenge winning the first round but losing in the final round to Deron Williams
Deron Williams
Deron Michael Williams , nicknamed D-Will, is an American basketball player currently with the New Jersey Nets of the National Basketball Association . Williams has also played for the Utah Jazz of the NBA and Beşiktaş of the Turkish Basketball League...
. Paul sparked a 4th quarter comeback for the Western Conference in the All-Star Game, but the East held on to win 134–128. He finished the game with 16 points, 14 assists and 5 steals.
Paul continued his stellar play following the All Star game, leading the New Orleans Hornets to one of the best records in the West. After a 37 point, 13 assist, and 3 steal performance by Paul against the Chicago Bulls on March 17, 2008, Paul led a 4th quarter comeback win, the Hornets ascended to the top of the standings in the Western Conference. On April 4, 2008, Chris Paul helped the Hornets clinch a playoff spot for the first time since the 2003–04 season. The Hornets ultimately finished the season with a 56–26 record, the best record in team history, and finished #2 overall in the NBA Western Conference standings. Paul ended the season leading the NBA with 11.6 assists and 2.71 steals per game, and registered a steal in all 80 games he played in.
In Paul's first NBA playoff game against the Dallas Mavericks
Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks are a professional basketball team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association , and the reigning NBA champions, having defeated the Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals.According to a 2011...
, he scored 35 points, with 24 coming in the second half, along with 10 assists and 4 steals. In Game 2, he scored 32 points and set a franchise playoff-record 17 assists, leading the Hornets to a 127–103 victory to go 2–0 against Dallas. After splitting Games 3 and 4 in Dallas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
, the Hornets eliminated the Mavericks, 4–1, in Game 5 for their first ever playoff series victory behind a 24 point, 11 rebound, and 15 assist performance from Paul.
He finished second in MVP voting, behind Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bean Bryant is an American professional basketball player who plays shooting guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . Bryant enjoyed a successful high school basketball career at Lower Merion High School, where he was recognized as the top high school...
, who beat him with a margin of 306 votes. He was selected for the All-NBA First Team, 3 votes shy of a unanimous choice.
Paul has reportedly reached an agreement on a three-year extension with the Hornets with a player option with a fourth year, with a total value of $68 million.
2008–09 season
On December 17, 2008, against the San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
, Paul broke Alvin Robertson
Alvin Robertson
Alvin Cyrrale Robertson is a retired American basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association from 1984 to 1993, and for one final season in 1995–96.-Career:...
's 22-year-old NBA record by registering at least one steal in 106 consecutive games. The new record reached 108 consecutive games before ending on Christmas Day against the Orlando Magic
Orlando Magic
The Orlando Magic is a professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association and are currently coached by Stan Van Gundy...
. On December 26, Paul collected 27 points, 10 rebounds, 15 assists and seven steals against the Philadelphia 76ers
Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . Originally known as the Syracuse Nationals, they are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA...
, becoming the only player in NBA history to reach those statistical numbers in an NBA game.
After the season, Paul was selected to the NBA All-Defensive Team
NBA All-Defensive Team
The NBA All-Defensive Team is an annual National Basketball Association honor given since the 1968–69 NBA season to the best defensive players during the regular season. Voting is conducted by the NBA head coaches; the coaches are not allowed to vote for players on their own team...
first team, and the All-NBA second team. He was also fifth in the 2009 MVP voting, receiving two first place votes and a total of 192 points.
2009–10 season
After a 3–6 start to the season, the New Orleans Hornets fired Scott on November 12 and replaced him with general manager Jeff BowerJeff Bower (basketball)
Jeff Bower is the former general manager of the New Orleans Hornets and held the head coaching position during most of the 2009–10 season...
, who has been involved with the franchise since 1995. Paul stirred controversy by announcing his displeasure with the move and thought the team management should have "consulted with me and asked how I felt before it happened", but clarified that he didn't expect to be asked to give approval. The next day, Paul suffered a left ankle sprain
Sprained ankle
A sprained ankle, also known as an ankle sprain, twisted ankle, rolled ankle, ankle injury or ankle ligament injury, is a common medical condition where one or more of the ligaments of the ankle is torn or partially torn.-Cause:...
against the Portland Trail Blazers
Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Trail Blazers originally played their home games in the...
that resulted in eight missed games as the Hornets went 4–4. Once Paul returned on December 9, New Orleans won 18 of their next 28 games, including a six-game winning streak. He earned his third All-Star appearance as a reserve guard, finishing third with 1,055,789 votes behind Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bean Bryant is an American professional basketball player who plays shooting guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . Bryant enjoyed a successful high school basketball career at Lower Merion High School, where he was recognized as the top high school...
and Steve Nash
Steve Nash
Stephen John "Steve" Nash, OC, OBC is a South African-born Canadian professional basketball player who plays point guard for the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association . Nash enjoyed a successful high-school basketball career, and he was eventually given a scholarship by Santa Clara...
.
In early February, an MRI
Magnetic resonance imaging
Magnetic resonance imaging , nuclear magnetic resonance imaging , or magnetic resonance tomography is a medical imaging technique used in radiology to visualize detailed internal structures...
revealed a torn
Tear of meniscus
In sports and orthopedics, a tear of a meniscus is a rupturing of one or more of the fibrocartilage strips in the knee called menisci. When doctors and patients refer to "torn cartilage" in the knee, they actually may be referring to an injury to a meniscus at the top of one of the tibiae. Menisci...
meniscus
Meniscus (anatomy)
In anatomy, a meniscus is a crescent-shaped fibrocartilaginous structure that, in contrast to articular disks, only partly divides a joint cavity. In humans it is present in the knee, acromioclavicular, sternoclavicular, and temporomandibular joints; in other organisms they may be present in other...
in Paul's left knee after it was tweaked in two consecutive games in late January. On February 4, he underwent arthroscopic surgery performed by renowned sports physician James Andrew
James Andrews (physician)
James Rheuben Andrews, M.D., born 1942 in Homer, Louisiana, is an orthopedic surgeon who practices at the Andrews Institute for Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine in Gulf Breeze, Florida. He also practices in Birmingham, Alabama at the Andrews Sports Medicine & Orthopaedic Center located at St....
in Florida. Sidelined for nearly eight weeks, Paul, who was averaging 20.4 points and an NBA-best 11.2 assists, missed 25 Hornets games and the 2010 NBA All-Star Game
2010 NBA All-Star Game
The 2010 NBA All-Star Game was an exhibition basketball game between players selected from the National Basketball Association 's Western Conference and the Eastern Conference that was played on February 14, 2010 at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, United States. This game was the 59th edition...
, where his reserve spot was filled by Denver Nuggets
Denver Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets are a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado. They play in the National Basketball Association . They were founded as the Denver Rockets in 1967 as a charter franchise of the American Basketball Association, and became one of that league's more successful teams...
point guard Chauncey Billups
Chauncey Billups
Chauncey Ray Billups is an American professional basketball point guard for the New York Knicks of the National Basketball Association . He has also played for Team USA. Billups won the NBA Finals MVP in 2004, helping the Detroit Pistons beat the Los Angeles Lakers in the Finals, and was given the...
. On March 22, Paul returned to action since January 29 against the Chicago Bulls
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
, and was inserted in the starting lineup for the game against the Dallas Mavericks, moving Darren Collison
Darren Collison
Darren Michael Collison is an American professional basketball point guard for the Indiana Pacers. He was drafted 21st overall in the 2009 NBA Draft by New Orleans. He is a right-hander and a native of Rancho Cucamonga, California...
out of the starting lineup, who started at point guard during Paul's absence.
2010–11 season
The 2010–11 season was another All-Star selection season for Paul, making it his 4th consecutive. On March 6, 2011 against the Cleveland CavaliersCleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers are a professional basketball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They began playing in the National Basketball Association in 1970 as an expansion team...
, Paul collided with Cavalier player Ramon Sessions
Ramon Sessions
Ramon Sessions is an American professional basketball player for the NBA's Cleveland Cavaliers. He was drafted by Milwaukee with the 56th pick in the 2007 NBA Draft. Sessions played collegiately at the University of Nevada for three years. Sessions ranks second in career assists at Nevada with 478...
and had to be carried off by stretcher after lying motionless on the ground. He missed 2 straight games. In his return on March 12, 2011 against the Sacramento Kings
Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings are a professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California, United States. They are currently members of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
, he scored a season high 33 points, and had 15 assists, 7 rebounds and 5 steals in the Hornets' 37th win of the season.
Personal life
Paul has been married to Jada Crawley since September 2011. The two met and began dating in 2003 while attending Wake Forest together. They had their first child together, Christopher Emmanuel Paul II, on May 23, 2009.Paul's brother, C.J. played basketball at Hampton University
Hampton University
Hampton University is a historically black university located in Hampton, Virginia, United States. It was founded by black and white leaders of the American Missionary Association after the American Civil War to provide education to freedmen.-History:...
on a scholarship after graduating from West Forsyth in 2001, before transferring to University of South Carolina Upstate
University of South Carolina Upstate
The University of South Carolina Upstate is a public university located in Spartanburg, South Carolina, United States. Formerly known as the University of South Carolina Spartanburg, the school changed its name in the summer of 2004...
(USC-Upstate) to finish out his career. In 2004, the Paul brothers played against each other in a college game as Wake Forest participated in a preseason exhibition with USC-Upstate. C.J. now works as his brother's personal manager, on advice given by Miami Heat
Miami Heat
The Miami Heat is a professional basketball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. The team is a member of the Southeast Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . They play their home games at American Airlines Arena in Downtown Miami...
forward LeBron James
LeBron James
LeBron Raymone James is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association . Nicknamed "King James", he was a three-time "Mr. Basketball" of Ohio in high school, and was highly promoted in the national media as a future NBA superstar while a...
, one of Paul's closest friends.
Paul still grasps the laminated obituaries of his grandfather, who died in 2002, and grandmother, who died in 1993, and says a prayer during the national anthem before each game.
Paul and former New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
and current Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
Reggie Bush
Reggie Bush
Reginald Alfred "Reggie" Bush II is an American football running back for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the first round of the 2006 NFL Draft...
are close friends and lived in the same complex in the Central Business District
New Orleans Central Business District
The Central Business District is a neighborhood of the city of New Orleans. A subdistrict of the French Quarter/CBD Area, its boundaries as defined by the City Planning Commission are: Iberville, Decatur and Canal Streets to the north, the Mississippi River to the east, the New Orleans Morial...
of New Orleans
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
while Bush was a Saint. They also shared a personal chef.
During the second season of ESPN's It's the Shoes, Paul revealed to Bobbito Garcia
Bobbito Garcia
Robert "Bobbito" García , also known as Kool Bob Love and formerly known as DJ Cucumberslice, Bobbito The Barber, Make It Happen, Boogie Bob, Soul Food Bob, and Bag of Tricks, is a Puerto Rican DJ, writer, entrepreneur, streetball player/coach/announcer, sneaker connoisseur, and member of the Rock...
that the "CP3" nickname comes from family tradition. The combination of his initials and jersey number is strictly a coincidence. His father (Charles Paul) and older brother (C.J. Paul) are nicknamed CP1 and CP2, respectively. Paul also notes that all three men's initials are CEP."
Whenever Chris scores during a Hornets home game the PA Announcer will simply say "CP3!" and then play a sound byte of legendary pro wrestler Ric Flair
Ric Flair
Richard Morgan Fliehr is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Ric Flair. Also known as "The Nature Boy", Flair is one of the most well-known professional wrestlers in the world....
's famous "Wooooo!" quote. Flair, who is an avid Hornets fan and whose loyalty stuck with the team even after they relocated from Charlotte to New Orleans, attended every Hornets home game in their 2008 Western Conference Semi-Final Series against the San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
and introduced the starting lineups at a home game against the Golden State Warriors
Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in Oakland, California. They are part of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
.
In 2008, Paul appeared on the NPR news quiz show "Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me!," where he went three-for-three in the "Not My Job" game.
Rupert Bell Rec, a domed court used by the Paul brothers during their childhood was featured in the 2007 videogame NBA Street Homecourt.
On November 1, 2011, Chris appeared with his family on the game show Family Feud
Family Feud
Family Feud is an American television game show created by Mark Goodson and Bill Todman. Two families compete against each other in a contest to name the most popular responses to a survey question posed to 100 people...
, hosted by Steve Harvey.
Endorsements
Paul has national endorsement deals with PowerAdePowerade
Powerade is a sports drink manufactured and marketed by The Coca-Cola Company. First introduced in 1988, its primary competitor is PepsiCo's Gatorade...
sports drinks, Right Guard
Right Guard
Right Guard is a brand of deodorant for men. It is also a brand of shower gel. It is manufactured by the Dial Corporation unit of Henkel of North America, which acquired the brand in 2006 as a condition for Procter & Gamble's Gillette acquisition because P&G has other deodorant brands such as Old...
deodorant and Nike
Nike, Inc.
Nike, Inc. is a major publicly traded sportswear and equipment supplier based in the United States. The company is headquartered near Beaverton, Oregon, which is part of the Portland metropolitan area...
's Team Jordan
Air Jordan
Air Jordan, also known simply as Jordans, are a brand of shoes and athletic apparel produced by Nike originally designed for and endorsed by NBA Hall of Famer and Six Time NBA Champion Michael Jordan. The Air Jordan line is now sold by the Jordan Brand subsidiary of Nike...
brand, where he has released several editions of his shoe "Air Jordan CP3.#". He also has several partner brands and organizations which includes Topps
Topps
The Topps Company, Inc., manufactures chewing gum, candy and collectibles. Based in New York, New York, Topps is best known as a leading producer of baseball cards, football cards, basketball cards, hockey cards and other sports and non-sports themed trading cards.-Company history:Topps itself was...
, Fox 8, Upper Deck
Upper deck
Upper deck may refer to :* The Upper Deck Company, an American trading card business* The upper deck is the highest level internal deck on a ship, i.e. just below the superstructure and open deck....
, and Vitamin Water. The deals collectively earn him around $4 million annually according to Forbes
Forbes
Forbes is an American publishing and media company. Its flagship publication, the Forbes magazine, is published biweekly. Its primary competitors in the national business magazine category are Fortune, which is also published biweekly, and Business Week...
. In 2007, Paul was the cover athlete for the video game NBA 2K8.
Paul has been represented by agents Jeff Austin and Leon Rose under the agencies LRMR Marketing
LRMR
LRMR is a marketing firm founded by Maverick Carter, a childhood friend of LeBron James. LRMR currently represents four athletes: James, Chris Paul, Ted Ginn Jr. and Mike Flynt, a 59 year-old college linebacker.-"The Decision":...
and Creative Artists Agency since 2010. Paul had been affiliated with Octagon Worldwide.
Salaries
| Season | Team | Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 2005–06 | New Orleans/Oklahoma City | $3,144,240 |
| 2006–07 | New Orleans/Oklahoma City | $3,380,160 |
| 2007–08 | New Orleans | $3,615,960 |
| 2008–09 2008–09 NBA season The 2008–09 NBA season was the 63rd season of the National Basketball Association . The 1,230-game regular season began on Tuesday, October 28, 2008, and ended on Wednesday, April 15, 2009... |
New Orleans | $4,574,189 |
| 2009–10 2009–10 NBA season The 2009–10 NBA season was the 64th season of the National Basketball Association . The 1,230-game regular season began on Tuesday, October 27, 2009, and ended on Wednesday, April 14, 2010.... |
New Orleans | $13,520,500 |
| 2010–11 2010–11 NBA season The 2010–11 NBA season was the 65th season of the National Basketball Association . The 2011 NBA All-Star Game was played on February 20, 2011 at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. The Dallas Mavericks defeated the Miami Heat in six games, 4 games to 2, to win their first NBA title, and... |
New Orleans | $14,940,153 |
Awards and honors
- 4× NBA All-Star: 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011
- 3×All-NBA TeamAll-NBA TeamThe All-NBA Team is an annual National Basketball Association honor bestowed on the best players in the league following every NBA season. The voting is conducted by a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters throughout the United States and Canada. The team has been selected in every season of the...
:- First Team: 2008
- Second Team: 2009
- Third Team: 2011
- 2×NBA All-Defensive TeamNBA All-Defensive TeamThe NBA All-Defensive Team is an annual National Basketball Association honor given since the 1968–69 NBA season to the best defensive players during the regular season. Voting is conducted by the NBA head coaches; the coaches are not allowed to vote for players on their own team...
:- First Team: 2009
- Second Team: 2008, 2011
- NBA Rookie of the YearNBA Rookie of the Year AwardThe National Basketball Association's Rookie of the Year Award is an annual National Basketball Association award given since the 1952–53 NBA season, to the top rookie of the regular season. The winner receives the Eddie Gottlieb Trophy, which is named in honor of the Philadelphia Warriors head...
: 2006 - NBA All-Rookie First TeamNBA All-Rookie TeamThe NBA All-Rookie Team is an annual National Basketball Association honor given since the 1962–63 NBA season to the top rookies during the regular season. Voting is conducted by the NBA head coaches; who are not allowed to vote for players on their own team. The All-Rookie Team is generally...
: 2006 - Bronze medal with Team USA, 2006 FIBA World Championship2006 FIBA World ChampionshipThe 2006 FIBA World Championship was an international basketball competition hosted by Japan from August 19 to September 3, 2006. It was co-organised by the International Basketball Federation , Japan Basketball Association and the 2006 Organizing Committee...
- Notched second place on ESPN's greatest player of the 2007–2008 regular season
- Gold medal with Team USA, 2008 Summer Olympic Games
- Ranked as the 4th best player in the NBA by ESPN and The Truehoop affiliates
NBA records
Consecutive games with a steal: 108, toFifth player in NBA history to lead the league in assists and steals in the same season
- Don "Slick" WattsSlick WattsDonald Earl "Slick" Watts is an American former basketball player.Watts was not selected by any team in the 1973 NBA Draft, but his coach at Xavier University of Louisiana was a cousin of Bill Russell, who was the coach and general manager for the Seattle SuperSonics...
(Seattle SuperSonics), Don BuseDon BuseDonald R. Buse is a retired American professional basketball player.A 6'4" guard from the University of Evansville, Buse played 13 seasons in the American Basketball Association and National Basketball Association as a member of the Indiana Pacers, the Phoenix Suns, the Portland Trail Blazers,...
(Indiana Pacers), Micheal Ray RichardsonMicheal Ray RichardsonMicheal Ray "Sugar" Richardson is an American former professional basketball player and currently the head coach of the London Lightning of the National Basketball League of Canada. Richardson played college basketball for the Montana Grizzlies...
(New York Knicks), and John StocktonJohn StocktonJohn Houston Stockton is a retired American professional basketball player who spent his entire career as a point guard for the Utah Jazz of the NBA from 1984 to 2003. Stockton is regarded as one of the best point guards of all time, holding the NBA records for most career assists and steals by...
(Utah Jazz, ) also achieved this.
Only player in NBA history to lead the league in assists and steals in consecutive seasons (–)
Seasons leading the league in steals: 3
- Tied with Micheal Ray RichardsonMicheal Ray RichardsonMicheal Ray "Sugar" Richardson is an American former professional basketball player and currently the head coach of the London Lightning of the National Basketball League of Canada. Richardson played college basketball for the Montana Grizzlies...
, Michael JordanMichael JordanMichael Jeffrey Jordan is a former American professional basketball player, active entrepreneur, and majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats...
and Allen IversonAllen IversonAllen Ezail Iverson is an American professional basketball point guard and shooting guard. He was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers with the number one pick in the 1996 NBA Draft. He was named the NBA Rookie of the Year in the 1996–97 season...
2nd in NBA history
Steals, half: 7, first half, vs. Dallas Mavericks,Most games with at least one steal, season: 80
- Recorded a steal in every game in which he played.
- Alvin RobertsonAlvin RobertsonAlvin Cyrrale Robertson is a retired American basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association from 1984 to 1993, and for one final season in 1995–96.-Career:...
recorded a steal in 81 of 82 games played in , the NBA record. - Tied with Michael JordanMichael JordanMichael Jeffrey Jordan is a former American professional basketball player, active entrepreneur, and majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats...
(80 games with at least one steal in )
3rd in NBA history
Highest average, assists per game, career: 9.9 (4,228/425)- Trailing Earvin "Magic" Johnson and John StocktonJohn StocktonJohn Houston Stockton is a retired American professional basketball player who spent his entire career as a point guard for the Utah Jazz of the NBA from 1984 to 2003. Stockton is regarded as one of the best point guards of all time, holding the NBA records for most career assists and steals by...