Chris Paul is one of the greatest point guards in NBA history. I won’t bore you with his stats or his highlights. The nearly two-decade resume speaks for itself. But you know how resumes are supposed to list your top accomplishments? What are Paul’s accomplishments? NBA teams are businesses and the company bar for success is winning. The top companies in this industry win NBA titles. Weigh the resume and tell me if you would employ this man to win your team a championship. Mind you, Paul is 37 years old and going on 38 so a multiple-page resume is okay!
Chris Paul’s Educational Background
Chris Paul attended Wake Forest University and left in 2005. He did not graduate. Does this make Chris Paul’s resume incomplete? Many people go on to success without a degree behind their names. Paul had a 3.2 GPA when he left school for a high-paying job so it’s cool. Oh, by the way, he is scheduled to graduate from Winston-Salem State University, a historically black college or university (HBCU) this semester.
Chris Paul Job History (Reverse Chronological Order)
The point guard of the Phoenix Suns from 2020-current.
Chris Paul has missed a ton of time so far but the season is still young. The 28.5 million he is making this year is for playoff performance more than season grind.
- The Suns made the NBA Finals in 2021, Paul’s first Finals appearance. Still no ring though. That L came courtesy of Giannis Antetokounmpo. Last year in the postseason, the Suns were given hell by an upstart New Orleans Pelicans team missing Zion Williamson. Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks bounced the Suns out in the semifinals. Fast forward to this season and the Pelicans and Memphis Grizzlies have the best records in the West. The youth in this industry can catch up to you quickly.
❗️❗️ by Zion pic.twitter.com/xBKrHqeXBu
— Belly Up Sports (@BellyUpSports) December 10, 2022
- The Suns have lost five in a row.
- The Suns’ owner, Robert Sarver is compelled to sell the team this season under the cloud of workplace misconduct.
Point guard of the Oklahoma City Thunder from 2019-2020.
Chris Paul can play with young guys! He proved that despite the previous years working with veterans, he could cultivate a winning atmosphere where the seeds were just planted.
- OKC traded former MVP Russell Westbrook to land Chris Paul.
- The Thunder pushed Paul’s former Houston Rockets team to 7 games in the first round of the playoffs.
- Played in Oklahoma City at the beginning of his career. The former New Orleans Hornets were forced to relocate there for two years due to the devastation instigated by Hurricane Katrina.
- The success from his inaugural seasons in the NBA gave the league the data it needed to prove that Oklahoma City could support a team.
- The enthusiasm for Paul’s Hornets team is partially responsible for Clay Bennett moving the Seattle Supersonic franchise to Oklahoma.
The point guard of the Houston Rockets from 2017-2019.
Chris Paul was in championship or bust mode when he made the decision to pair with former MVP James Harden on the third coast. The blockbuster trade to Houston led to a pair of epic playoff battles with the dynastic Golden State Warriors.
- One game away from the NBA finals in his first season. Paul missed the last two games of the Western Conference finals with a severe hamstring strain.
- Began a plant-based diet to help minimize injuries and improve body performance.
- Clashed with Harden throughout his second season with the Rockets. This led to a second-round playoff exit and off-season trade.
- Long-time owner Leslie Alexander sold the team in the summer before Chris Paul’s first season with them.
Point guard of the Los Angeles Clippers from 2011-2017.
Chris Paul almost had a coworker in the late, great NBA Hall-of-Famer Kobe Bryant. The NBA nixed the trade with the Los Angeles Lakers but later sent him across the hall to the same city.
- Created Lob City in tandem with 2009 1st overall pick, Blake Griffin. Lob City was an exciting brand of basketball that rejuvenated the franchise and led to numerous playoff appearances.
- Won gold in the 2012 London Olympics.
- 2014-2015 is the last time he played more than 70 games in an 82-game regular season.
- Long-time Clippers owner Donald Sterling was compelled to sell the team under a cloud of derogatory remarks and a history of discrimination. Sterling was banned from the NBA for life.
Point guard of the New Orleans Hornets from 2005-2011.
Chris Paul was the franchise’s first superstar.
- Won gold in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
- Paul made his first All-Star teams and received All-NBA accolades on offense and defense
- Provided philanthropic leadership in a community reeling from the previously mentioned natural and man-made disasters.
- Former owner George Shinn was compelled to sell the team after his reputation was tarnished following a trial where he was accused of kidnapping and assault. NBA took ownership of the team after Shinn’s failures to find a buyer.
Extracurricular Activities
- Chris Paul was the president of the NBA Players Association from 2013-2021. As one of his first decisions, he hired Michele Roberts as Executive Director. This made her the first-ever female leader of a professional sports union in North America.
- Chris Paul is a fabulous bowler. He owns a professional bowling league.
- Chris Paul does hilarious commercials such as this one.
Verdict: I love Chris Paul. Highly accomplished player and one of the greatest to ever do it. I think this year is his last chance for a championship and he’ll be dependent on the young guys on his team to carry him through. Devin Booker, Mikal Bridges, Deandre Ayton, and company have the youth, talent, and experience to make a run in a wide-open Western Conference. Chris Paul will lead as always. Past his Suns era, I would be uncomfortable bringing that fiery personality onboard to another franchise given the propensity for ownership upheaval at many of his stops. Not to mention his age and the lack of meeting the industry standard of championships. So this is the end of the road. Hopefully, it works out for him.
Brittney Griner is free. Legendary NBA player and coach Paul Silas passed away. The NBA is still in negotiations with the Players Association on a new Collective Bargaining Agreement. Superstar and future Hall-of-Famer LeBron James is approaching the NBA regular season points record. New names have been added to all of the end-of-season awards. Jayson Tatum is the favorite to win the Michael Jordan MVP award. Basketball is brewing with so many storylines and we are just getting started.
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