Jarrett Jack

Jack in October 2010
No. 2 – New Orleans Hornets
Guard
Personal information
Born	(1983-10-28) October 28, 1983 (age 28) Fort Washington, Maryland
Nationality	American
High school	DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, Maryland) Mount Zion Christian Academy (Durham, North Carolina) St. Vincent Pallotti (Laurel, Maryland) Worcester Academy (Worcester, Massachusetts)
Listed height	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Listed weight	197 lb (89 kg)
Career information
College	Georgia Tech
NBA Draft	2005 / Round: 1 / Pick: 22nd overall
Selected by the Denver Nuggets
Pro career	2005–present
Career history
Portland Trail Blazers (2005–2008) Indiana Pacers (2008–2009) Toronto Raptors (2009–2010) New Orleans Hornets (2010–present)

Jarrett Matthew Jack (born October 28, 1983) is an American professional basketball player for the New Orleans Hornets of the NBA. At 6'3" (1.91 m) tall and weighing 197 lbs (89 kg), he primarily plays at the point guard position. Born in Fort Washington, Maryland, Jack attended four different high schools in the states of North Carolina, Maryland, and Massachusetts before playing collegiately at Georgia Tech. The Denver Nuggets drafted Jack in 2005.

High school career[link]

Growing up, Jack attended four different high schools: DeMatha Catholic High School and St. Vincent Pallotti High School in Maryland, Mount Zion Academy in North Carolina and Worcester Academy in Massachusetts. At Worcester Academy he played alongside Craig Smith.

College career[link]

After high school Jack attended and played for Georgia Tech in Atlanta, Georgia.^[1] In his sophomore year (2003–04) he helped guide Georgia Tech to the NCAA Finals with 12.5 points and 5.1 assists a game. In his junior and final year at Georgia Tech he averaged 15.5 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.5 assists.

NBA career[link]

Jack going for a layup in a game against the Miami Heat

After his junior year at Georgia Tech, he opted to enter the 2005 NBA Draft, where Jack was selected by the Denver Nuggets with the 22nd pick. On draft night, he was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers in exchange for their 27th pick (Linas Kleiza) and 35th pick (Ricky Sánchez).

As a rookie in 2005–06, Jack backed up Steve Blake and Sebastian Telfair at the point, getting limited minutes. Blake was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks and Telfair was traded to the Boston Celtics in a multi-player trade during the 2006 off-season. In their absence, Jack was appointed the starting point guard position by coach Nate McMillan for the 2006–07 season, dramatically increasing his averages. With the return of point guard Steve Blake in 2007–08, Jack once again returned to the role of a sixth man.

On July 9, 2008, Jack was traded to the Indiana Pacers along with Josh McRoberts and 2008 NBA draft pick Brandon Rush for Ike Diogu and Jerryd Bayless.^[2]

On July 13, 2009, Jack signed a 4-year, $20 million offer sheet with the Toronto Raptors.^[3] The Pacers had seven days to match the offer, and they chose not to.^[4]

On November 20, 2010, Jack was traded to the New Orleans Hornets, along with Marcus Banks and David Andersen for Peja Stojaković and Jerryd Bayless.^[5]

Personal life[link]

NBA point guard Chris Duhon is his cousin.^[6]

On the morning of Sunday, February 20, 2011, he was arrested for DUI in a suburb of Atlanta, while returning from an All-Star weekend party. He was going 66 in a 45 MPH zone and was also weaving uncontrollably. He failed a field sobriety test, and when taken to the police station, he got just under the legal limit of 0.08 on the breathalyzer; however, this was over an hour later. He was charged with DUI and failure to maintain lane and was released later that night.^[7]

NBA career statistics[link]

Regular season[link]

Playoffs[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Jarrett Jack

• Jarrett Jack at NBA.com
• Jarrett Jack at Basketball-Reference.com

Eric Gordon

Eric Gordon in 2011.
No. 10 – New Orleans Hornets
Shooting guard
Personal information
Born	(1988-12-25) December 25, 1988 (age 23) Indianapolis, Indiana
Nationality	American
High school	North Central (Indianapolis)
Listed height	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Listed weight	215 lb (98 kg)
Career information
College	Indiana (2007–2008)
NBA Draft	2008 / Round: 1 / Pick: 7th overall
Selected by the Los Angeles Clippers
Pro career	2008–present
Career history
2008–2011	Los Angeles Clippers
2011–present	New Orleans Hornets
Career highlights and awards
NBA All-Rookie Second Team (2009)
Medals FIBA World Championship Gold 2010 Turkey National team

Eric Ambrose Gordon, Jr. (born December 25, 1988) is an American professional basketball player for the New Orleans Hornets of the NBA. In high school, he was named "Mr. Basketball" of Indiana during his senior year while playing at North Central High School. He is known, in part, as the subject of a major recruiting battle between the University of Illinois and Indiana University in the spring and summer of 2006; because of Gordon's talent and high level of play that year, his recruitment was the subject of a great deal of media coverage.

Gordon played one season of college basketball at Indiana^[1] and was considered one of the top collegiate players in the nation that year.^[2] He finished his freshman season leading the Big Ten in scoring and tied for 19th in the nation at 21.5 points per game.^[3] Gordon entered the 2008 NBA Draft and was selected seventh overall by the Los Angeles Clippers. Gordon is represented by agent Rob Pelinka.^[4]

Early life[link]

Born in Indianapolis,^[5] Gordon began playing sports at the YMCA at 4, playing soccer, and then moved quickly on to basketball. He also played football but his true love was basketball. At the age of 7 he began playing competitive basketball at the historical Municipal Gardens. He spent the majority of his time across the street from his home at the Jewish Community Center of Indianapolis (JCC). There Gordon spent many hours playing pick ball, swimming and hanging out with friends. It was at the JCC that Gordon announced his departure from college to enter his name into the NBA Draft.

High school[link]

Gordon in 2007 as a high school basketball player.

Gordon played high school basketball at North Central High School in Indianapolis, Indiana. He led North Central to the Indiana 4A title game his senior year. However, they fell to E'Twaun Moore, Angel Garcia and East Chicago Central. He averaged 29 points, 6.2 rebounds and 3.3 assists while shooting 57.0% from the field, 77.9% from the free throw line, and 46.2% from three-point range. Gordon was also named Indiana's "Mr. Basketball" for 2007 as well as a McDonald's All-American. Gordon was a teammate of Greg Oden in Indiana AAU ball. He was ranked as the nation's #2 high school prospect in the class of 2007 by Rivals.com, behind Michael Beasley.^[6]

Gordon graduated in 2007 from North Central High School, in Indianapolis. He attended the Metropolitan School District of Washington Township. He began his elementary years at Fox Hill Elementary which is located down the street from his childhood home. He then, moved on to Northview Middle School which is located on the same property as his high school, North Central High School. There he played varsity all four years for the NC Panthers. North Central's 2007 game against Loyola Academy of Wilmette, Illinois, attended by Michael Jordan, was aired on ESPN. He scored a record high of 43 points that night. He later went on to score 50 points twice during the season.

During the summer, Gordon would attend many AAU tournaments, Adidas Superstar camps and, Big Time in Las Vegas. He played on teams which included other NBA players: Greg Oden, Mike Conley, Jr., Josh McRoberts, Daequan Cook and Derrick Rose. Playing with all these talented standouts made Gordon push himself to get better.

During his senior year of high school, Gordon led his team to the state finals averaging 29 points per game; however, they fell short and became the runners-up to East Chicago. He earned various honors that year. He became Indiana Player of the Year, Mr. Basketball 2007, and Indiana Gatorade Player of the Year 2007. He was McDonald All-American and Michael Jordan Brand All-American. He earned a spot as a Parade First Team All-American^[7] and USA Today First Team All-American.^[8] Although, Gordon was heavily recruited by many schools he made a verbal commitment to the University of Illinois. Upon coaching changes at Indiana University he later signed his letter of intent with Indiana University.

Recruitment[link]

After making an early verbal commitment in late 2005, Gordon's recruitment was frequently discussed in the summer of 2006, as his contact with Indiana University led to frequent rumors that he intended to renege on his original commitment to the University of Illinois. Gordon's recruitment was particularly high-profile because of his high level of play in summer tournaments and the high ranking given to him by major recruiting services.

On November 30, 2005,^[9] during his junior year of high school, Gordon made a verbal commitment to play basketball for Bruce Weber at the University of Illinois, selecting the Illini over overtures from Duke and Notre Dame.^[10] Gordon and his family cited their comfort with Bruce Weber, the location of Illinois' campus, and the success of former Illini guards Deron Williams and Luther Head in the NBA as reasons for their decision.^[11]

On February 15, 2006, Sports Illustrated reported that Mike Davis, then the head coach at Indiana University, intended to resign after the 2005–06 season, due in part to a lack of support after the team failed to make the NCAA Tournament in 2004 and 2005.^[12] Indiana subsequently hired Kelvin Sampson as the new men's basketball coach in March 2006.^[13] Some reporters speculated that Gordon was uninterested in playing at Indiana under Mike Davis because of Davis' lack of success.^[11] Shortly after Sampson was named head coach at Indiana, he hired Jeff Meyer, Eric Gordon Sr.'s college basketball coach and a long time family friend, as an assistant.^[14]

During the subsequent offseason, Gordon was recruited by Sampson's staff after Gordon told Sampson he was still interested in Indiana. It was rumored in July 2006 that Gordon had decided to vacate his verbal commitment because of concerns about the strength of Illinois' incoming class,^[15] but Gordon stated that although he was a childhood fan of the Hoosiers and was considering Indiana, he was still committed to Illinois.^[16] That month, Gordon played with Derrick Rose, another top-5 recruit, in an attempt to convince Rose to join him at Illinois.^[17]

Rumors of an impending decommitment continued into the start of the 2006–07 academic year, fueled in part by Gordon's rise to the top of some services' rankings of high school basketball players.^[18] On September 2, 2006, Gordon and Rose made an unofficial visit to Indiana to scrimmage with current Hoosier players,^[19] fueling further speculation that Gordon would switch his commitment. Six weeks later, on October 13, 2006, Eric Sr. announced that his son had officially decided to change his commitment.^[20] Gordon signed a National Letter of Intent with Indiana on November 8, 2006.^[21]

Aftermath[link]

Gordon's announcement gave Indiana a very strong 2007 recruiting class, ranked by some analysts as the third-best incoming class in the country.^[22] Kelvin Sampson and Bruce Weber both received criticism from fellow coaches for failing to communicate with one another about Gordon's recruitment.^[23] Although the NCAA does not regulate verbal commitments or the recruitment of orally committed players, some observers have stated that Sampson had acted unethically in recruiting a committed player without first contacting Weber.^[24]

The timing of the switch was particularly damaging for Illinois, which had expected Gordon to be part of its class and was left without a shooting guard at a time when most other guards had made verbal commitments.^[25] The Illini received a letter of intent from top 100 shooting guard Quinton Watkins of Compton, California, the following December,^[26] but, due to NCAA Academic Clearinghouse issues, he would not play for the Illini, eventually deciding to enroll, briefly, at San Diego State.^[27]

Gordon was warmly welcomed by Indiana fans, but received sharp criticism from Illinois fans for the timing of his decommitment and his previous statements about his college destination. Eric Sr. stated in October 2006 that his son had received death threats as a result of his decision,^[28] although his son later stated that Illinois fans had only said they did not want the younger Gordon to be successful.^[29] On February 7, 2008, Gordon and Indiana played Illinois in Champaign; Gordon and his family were the targets of loud booing and taunting throughout the game, and some witnesses reported that the Gordon parents were hit with ice and orange and blue beads near the game's end.^[30] Illinois' athletic director, Ron Guenther, apologized for the incident, calling fan behavior "disappointing and intolerable."^[31] Illinois fans were reportedly particularly outraged that the Gordon family, and its entourage, wore "Got Gordon?" t-shirts, a paean to the Got Milk? campaign.

College career[link]

Gordon attended college at Indiana University (IU) in Bloomington Indiana. There, Gordon at 6’3” played a shooting guard with the Indiana Hoosiers for one year. While attending he planned to study Sports Management. During that year Eric attained many honors. He was the Big Ten Freshman of the Year and made the 3rd team All-American. He is the all time leading scorer for freshman at IU. He set a record at IU and in the Big Ten for scoring 669 points. He was also a candidate for the Wooden Award and Naismith Award. He was also name second team All-American for CBSSports.com. During his freshman year Gordon average 20.9 points. Gordon’s jersey was the number 23 which he also wore in high school. Now he wears the No. 10. The number 10 was his original grade school number, and the age his game really took off.

Gordon finished his freshman season averaging 20.9 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game, making 33.7% of his three-point shots and leading the Big Ten in scoring.^[32] Gordon was highly effective for Indiana in its first 18 games as the Hoosiers started the season with 17 wins and only one loss. However, he entered into a noticeable shooting slump at the end of the year,^[33] making only 18.6% of his three-point field goal attempts (13 of 70) after Indiana's February 7 win against Illinois^[32] and shooting only 3 of 15 from the field and 0 of 6 from the three point line in the team's loss to Arkansas in the first round of the 2008 NCAA Tournament.^[34] Gordon played the second half of the season with an injured wrist.^[35]

On March 10, 2008 Gordon was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year and to the First Team of the Big Ten Conference by the coaches and media, along with his teammate D. J. White. He was also a 3rd Team All-American.^[36]

College statistics[link]

NBA career[link]

Los Angeles Clippers (2008–2011)[link]

2008–2009[link]

Gordon announced on April 4, 2008 at 4:00pm at the Jewish Community Center that he would enter the 2008 NBA Draft.^[37] ESPN analyst Chad Ford ranked Gordon as one of the top ten players in this draft class.^[38] He was drafted with the seventh pick in the 2008 NBA Draft by the Los Angeles Clippers. Gordon scored 23 points in his first NBA Summer League game in the Las Vegas summer league on the campus of UNLV. Gordon played in two summer league games where he averaged 19 points and 6.5 rebounds. Gordon injured his hamstring July 12 against the Charlotte Bobcats. It was confirmed on July 13, 2008 by the Clippers that Gordon would miss the rest of summer league due to a strained left hamstring.

However, at the start of the 2008 NBA pre-season, Gordon made his offensive prowess known in only his second exhibition game, scoring 33 points in 31 minutes to help the Clippers defeat the Sacramento Kings 116–112.^[39] On January 23, he set a Clippers franchise record for most points scored by a rookie with 41 points (a record since broken by Blake Griffin).^[40] With Gordon's exceptional performance, he was named the NBA Western Conference Rookie of the Month for January. He averaged 16.1 points, 2.6 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.0 steals in 34.3 minutes per game and was the third leading scorer among all rookies. For his efforts, he was unanimously selected to the All-Rookie Second Team and finished fifth in Rookie of the Year voting.

2009–2010[link]

Gordon participated in the 2010 NBA All-Star Weekend. During the 2010 NBA All-Star Weekend, Gordon and DeMar DeRozan went head-to-head in the inaugural Sprite All-Star Slam Dunk-In, which took place at halftime of the Rookie Challenge. The fans went on to choose DeRozan as their vote to advance to the main event, the Sprite Slam Dunk Contest. Gordon was also selected to the sophomore team for the 2010 T-Mobile NBA Rookie Challenge and Youth Jam event.

Gordon finished second on his team with 16.9 points, averaged 2.6 rebounds, 3.0 assists in a team-high 36.0 minutes. He appeared in 62 games, and started in 60 games. He led his team in scoring 16 times, steals 17 times and minutes 16 times. Gordon scored 30+ points one time and had 20+ points 19 times. He was one of 27 players named to 2010-12 USA Men’s National Team Program.

2010–2011[link]

After winning the gold medal in the 2010 FIBA World Championship, Gordon was geared towards a breakout season. Gordon was on a scoring tear earlier in the season but was slowed down in his game against the Golden State Warriors, with a hard foul committed by Andris Biedriņš, which forced Gordon (who was averaging 24.1 points per game before the injury) to be sidelined for 18 games. It was later revealed that Gordon had a sprained wrist with a bone chip fracture. Returning from an 18-game absence, Gordon had a solid performance with a win against the Houston Rockets with 24 points. Gordon re-aggravated his sprained wrist the second game back against the Denver Nuggets, this time a hard foul committed by Timofey Mozgov, which gave Gordon a 6-game absence. Gordon's breakout season was hampered by injuries and he had to wear a wristband for the remainder of the season.

Gordon finished the season as the Clippers' second leading scorer, with 22.3 points per game. He also averaged 2.9 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game. Gordon scored 30+ points 8 times and had a streak of 20 or more points for 12 consecutive games.

New Orleans Hornets (2011–present)[link]

2011–2012[link]

On December 14, 2011, the Clippers traded Gordon, Chris Kaman, Al-Farouq Aminu, and a 2012 first-round pick (previously acquired from the Minnesota Timberwolves) to the New Orleans Hornets in exchange for Chris Paul and two future second-round picks.^[41] In his first ever game as a Hornet, playing against the Phoenix Suns, Gordon recorded 20 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists. He also hit the game winning shot with 4.2 seconds remaining, and New Orleans defeated the Suns in the season opener 84-83. It was revealed that Gordon had a pre-existing knee injury that he aggravated during the opening game of the season against the Phoenix Suns after bumping knees with Grant Hill. Initially Gordon was diagnosed with having a bone bruise, but after further examinations by doctors, it was determined that Gordon had cartilage damage in his right knee. On February 14, 2012, Eric Gordon underwent successful arthroscopic surgery on his knee and was out of action for 6 weeks. Gordon returned on April 4, 2012 to face the Denver Nuggets and scored 15 points giving the New Orleans a 94-92 victory.

Gordon finished this season with 9 games played, averaging 20.6 points per game, 2.8 rebounds per game and 3.4 assists per game. Gordon will enter the 2012-2013 season as a restricted free agent.

International[link]

In nine games played for Team USA in the 2010 FIBA World Championship in Istanbul, Turkey, Gordon averaged 8.6 points while finishing second on the team in three-pointers made (19) and second on the team in three-point percentage (.452, 19-42 3FG), helping the United States finish a perfect record of (9-0) en route to winning the gold medal.

Personal[link]

Gordon is the son of Eric and Denise Gordon, and has two brothers, Evan and Eron. His brother Evan currently plays for the Arizona State Sun Devils.

Community involvement[link]

Gordon participated in the Junior Clippers and Fastbreak to Fitness programs during the 2008-09 season. Gordon worked with the Salvation Army Seimon Family Youth and Community Center to adopt families and provide them with a holiday dinner and gift distribution. Gordon took part in the Clippers Team work at the Table Thanksgiving event at St. Joseph Center in Venice where he helped distribute food baskets and turkeys to over 300 families.

NBA career statistics[link]

Regular season[link]

Career highs[link]

Regular season[link]

Stat High Opponent Date Points 41 vs. Oklahoma City Thunder 02009-01-23January 23, 2009 Field goals made 14 vs. Minnesota Timberwolves 02010-12-20December 20, 2010 Field goals attempted 26 vs. Portland Trail Blazers 02011-01-20January 20, 2011 Three-point field goals made 7 vs. Portland Trail Blazers 02011-01-20January 20, 2011 Three-point field goals attempted 11 vs. Portland Trail Blazers 02011-01-20January 20, 2011 Free throws made 16 vs. New Jersey Nets 02010-11-15November 15, 2010 Free throws attempted 20 vs. New Jersey Nets 02010-11-15November 15, 2010 Offensive rebounds 5 vs. Philadelphia 76ers 02010-12-15December 15, 2010 Defensive rebounds 6 vs. Memphis Grizzlies 02011-04-05April 5, 2011 Total rebounds 8 vs. Los Angeles Lakers 02009-04-05April 5, 2009 Assists 11 vs. San Antonio Spurs 02010-11-01November 1, 2010 Steals 5 vs. Minnesota Timberwolves 02010-12-20December 20, 2010 Blocks 3 vs. Utah Jazz 02010-11-06November 6, 2010 Minutes played 53 vs. Utah Jazz 02010-11-06November 6, 2010 Accomplishments and awards[link] NBA[link] NBA All-Rookie Second Team: 2009 January 2009 Western Conference Rookie of the Month[42] Overall achievements[link] 2011 Indy Pro-Am Champion [43] LA Sports Award for 2010 Greatest Moments[44] 2010 FIBA World Championship Gold Medalist 2009 NBA All-Rookie Second Team 2008 Big Ten Freshman of the Year 2008 First Team All-Big Ten 2008 Third Team All-American Gatorade National Male Athlete of the Year 2007 McDonald All-American 2007 Jordan Brand All-American 2007 Indiana Mr. Basketball 2007 See also[link] 2006 high school boys basketball All-Americans References[link] ^ Gordon seals IU deal with signing ^ Eric Gordon: Before the Storm ^ "NCAA College Basketball Statistics: 2007–2008 Men's Basketball Leaders – Points". http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/leaders?cat=scoring&type=1&groupId=50&seasonType=2&seasonYear=2008. Retrieved February 14, 2008.  ^ "Rob Pelinka". DraftExpress LLC. http://www.draftexpress.com/agents/Rob-Pelinka-99/. Retrieved July 23, 2008.  ^ "Indiana Hoosiers – Eric Gordon". http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/player/profile?playerId=36469. Retrieved February 9, 2008.  ^ "Rivals.com Rivals150 2007". Rivals.com. http://rivalshoops.rivals.com/viewrank.asp?ra_key=1611. Retrieved March 10, 2011.  ^ Michael O'Shea (March 23, 2007). "Meet PARADE's 2007 All-America High School Boys Basketball Team". PARADE Magazine. http://www.parade.com/articles/editions/2007/edition_04-01-2007/Basketball. Retrieved September 9, 2011.  ^ Various (April 17, 2007). "Love leads way on 2007 All-USA boys hoops team". USA Today. http://www.usatoday.com/sports/preps/basketball/2007-04-17-all-usa-boys_N.htm. Retrieved September 9, 2011.  ^ "Indianapolis standout commits to Illini early". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. December 1, 2005. http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=SL&p_theme=sl&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=10E3EE544D202350&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D. Retrieved January 1, 2008.  ^ "Illini are starting to reap recruiting rewards". http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=39568. Retrieved January 1, 2008. [dead link] ^ a b "How Gordon came to IU". Archived from the original on November 24, 2006. http://web.archive.org/web/20061124101245/http://blogs.indystar.com/recruiting/2006/10/how_gordon_came_to_iu.html. Retrieved February 9, 2008.  ^ "Seth Davis: Mike Davis out at Indiana". CNN. February 15, 2006. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/writers/seth_davis/02/15/indiana.davis/?cnn=yes. Retrieved January 1, 2008.  ^ "Sampson brings in assistants with Indiana ties". http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=2407816. Retrieved January 1, 2008.  ^ Meyer, Jerry (October 18, 2006). "Gordon's switch to Indiana highlights hectic week before Midnight Madness". USA Today. http://www.usatoday.com/sports/recruiting/basketball/national/2006-10-17-basketball.htm. Retrieved February 14, 2008.  ^ "Sifting through summer camp gossip". http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=107419. Retrieved January 1, 2008. [dead link] ^ "Eric Gordon: Will He Wear Orange and Blue in 2007?". http://media.www.dailyillini.com/media/storage/paper736/news/2006/09/28/Sports/Column.Eric.Gordon.Will.He.Wear.Orange.And.Blue.In.2007-2313436.shtml. Retrieved December 31, 2007. [dead link] ^ "Keegan: Chicagoan targeted by Self". http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2006/jul/07/keegan_chicagoan_targeted_self/?sports. Retrieved January 1, 2008.  ^ "The Eric Gordon Saga". http://www.sportingnews.com/blog/Samueltstory/tag/EricGordonRecruitingSaga. Retrieved January 1, 2008. [dead link] ^ "IU hosts potential basketball recruits: Two highly ranked prep players scrimmaged with the team Saturday". http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-150868779.html. Retrieved January 1, 2008.  ^ Rabjohns, Jeff (October 13, 2006). "Prep star Eric Gordon changes mind, makes move to Hoosiers". USA Today. http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/mensbasketball/bigten/2006-10-13-indiana-gordon_x.htm?POE=SPOISVA. Retrieved January 1, 2008.  ^ "Truth & Rumors: Murdered Miami DL Pata owned gun collection". CNN. November 8, 2006. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/sioncampus/11/08/college/. Retrieved January 1, 2008.  ^ "Gordon could be swing man: Switch from Illini to Hoosiers a huge impact". http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=CSTB&p_theme=cstb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=1154C43subst:subst:BDA6DD6B0&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM.  ^ "Hoosiers-Illini Recruiting Feud a Hot Topic". http://www.madison.com/archives/read.php?ref=/tct/2006/10/30/0610300151.php. Retrieved January 1, 2008.  ^ "A few wins gets Sampson some cheating immunity". http://www.sportsline.com/columns/story/10411974. Retrieved February 9, 2008.  ^ "Signing day roundup: Florida, Louisville, Michigan State bring in talent". USA Today. November 8, 2006. http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/mensbasketball/2006-11-08-signing-day-roundup_x.htm. Retrieved January 1, 2008.  ^ "Eureka! Watkins goes east: Illini recruit will be only 3rd player from Calif. in school history". http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-30334793_ITM. Retrieved January 1, 2008.  ^ Meyer, Jerry (December 21, 2007). "Top underclassmen square off at invitational". USA Today. http://www.usatoday.com/sports/recruiting/basketball/national/2007-12-21-basketball.htm. Retrieved January 1, 2008.  ^ Couch, Greg (October 22, 2006). "Sports culture out of whack". Chicago Sun-Times. http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=CSTB&p_theme=cstb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=114EDA77DFE275D8&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM. Retrieved January 1, 2008.  ^ "Gordon saga costly for Lincoln Park". http://www.hoopsusa.com/f_viewtopic.cfm?trnbr=4527.  ^ "Illini seethe hatred toward Eric Gordon, but IU wins anyway". http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/story?columnist=forde_pat&id=3236182&sportCat=ncb. Retrieved February 8, 2008.  ^ "Illinois apologizes for 'profanity and behavior' aimed at Gordon". http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=3237782. Retrieved February 8, 2008.  ^ a b "Eric Gordon Stats, News, Photos". http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/player/profile?playerId=36469. Retrieved April 4, 2008.  ^ "Gordon confident his shooting slump won't last". USA Today. March 12, 2008. http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/sports/20080313/c3focusside13.art.htm. Retrieved April 4, 2008.  ^ "Arkansas vs. Indiana – Recap". http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/recap?gameId=284000048. Retrieved April 4, 2008.  ^ "Eric Gordon's wrist". January 29, 2009. http://blogs.heraldtimesonline.com/iusp/?p=1441. Retrieved February 6, 2009.  ^ "IU's White: conference player of year". Indianapolis Star. March 10, 2008. http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080310/SPORTS/80310071. Retrieved March 10, 2008. [dead link] ^ "Hoosiers' Gordon to enter NBA draft". Indianapolis Star. April 4, 2008. Archived from the original on April 7, 2008. http://web.archive.org/web/20080407194631/http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080404/SPORTS0601/804040406. Retrieved April 4, 2008.  ^ "ESPN – 2008 NBA Draft". April 4, 2008. http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/draft2008/index. Retrieved April 4, 2008.  ^ PRO BASKETBALL: "Rookie Gordon scores 33 in victory". – Los Angeles Times. – October 16, 2008. ^ Gordon, Thornton combine for big night as Clips win despite Durant's 46 ^ "HORNETS ACQUIRE GORDON, AMINU, KAMAN AND FIRST ROUND PICK". NBA.com. December 14, 2011. http://www.nba.com/hornets/news/hornets_clippers_trade_2011_12_14.html. Retrieved December 15, 2011.  ^ "CLIPPERS: Eric Gordon Named T-Mobile Western Conference Rookie of the Month". Nba.com. http://www.nba.com/clippers/news/gordon_rom_090202.html. Retrieved October 2, 2010.  ^ "Eric Gordon Indy Pro-Am Champion". slamonline.com. http://www.slamonline.com/online/other-ballers/streetball/2011/08/indy-pro-am-carlos-knox-nba-lockout/#1. Retrieved August 16, 2011.  ^ "Eric Gordon at the LA Sports Awards". Nba.com. http://www.nba.com/clippers/features/nami_110307.html. Retrieved March 7, 2011.  External links[link] IU player bio Eric Gordon at NBA.com Eric Gordon Official Website Awards and achievements Preceded by Greg Oden Indiana Mr. Basketball award 2007 Succeeded by Tyler Zeller v t e New Orleans Hornets current roster 0 Aminu 1 Ariza 2 Jack 4 Henry 8 Belinelli 10 Gordon 11 Dyson 14 Smith 15 Ayón 21 Vásquez 24 Landry 31 Watkins 35 Kaman 42 Thomas 50 Okafor Head coach: Williams Assistant coaches: Hanners Ayers Borrego Gates Vinson v t e 2008 NBA Draft First round Derrick Rose Michael Beasley O. J. Mayo Russell Westbrook Kevin Love Danilo Gallinari Eric Gordon Joe Alexander D. J. Augustin Brook Lopez Jerryd Bayless Jason Thompson Brandon Rush Anthony Randolph Robin Lopez Marreese Speights Roy Hibbert JaVale McGee J. J. Hickson Alexis Ajinça Ryan Anderson Courtney Lee Kosta Koufos Serge Ibaka Nicolas Batum George Hill Darrell Arthur Donté Greene D. J. White J. R. Giddens Second round Nikola Peković Walter Sharpe Joey Dorsey Mario Chalmers DeAndre Jordan Ömer Aşık Luc Mbah a Moute Kyle Weaver Sonny Weems Chris Douglas-Roberts Nathan Jawai Sean Singletary Patrick Ewing, Jr. Ante Tomić Goran Dragić Trent Plaisted Bill Walker Malik Hairston Richard Hendrix DeVon Hardin Shan Foster Darnell Jackson Tadija Dragićević Maarty Leunen Mike Taylor Sasha Kaun James Gist Joe Crawford Deron Washington Semih Erden v t e United States squad – 2010 FIBA World Championship – Gold medal 4 Billups 5 Durant (MVP) 6 Rose 7 Westbrook 8 Gay 9 Iguodala 10 Granger 11 Curry 12 Gordon 13 Love 14 Odom 15 Chandler Coach: Krzyzewski v t e Associated Press Indiana All-Century high school basketball team Steve Alford Damon Bailey Kent Benson Larry Bird Hallie Bryant Mike Conley Bill Garrett Terry Dischinger Eric Gordon Billy Keller Clyde Lovellette George McGinnis Rick Mount Greg Oden Bobby Plump Zach Randolph Jimmy Rayl Oscar Robertson Glenn Robinson Scott Skiles Homer Stonebraker Deshaun Thomas Clay Trainum Dick Van Arsdale Tom Van Arsdale John Wooden Fuzzy Vandivier Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Eric Gordon Persondata Name Gordon, Eric Alternative names Short description American basketball player Date of birth December 25, 1988 Place of birth Indianapolis, Indiana Date of death Place of death

Chris Paul

Chris Paul as a guard for the Hornets.
No. 3 – Los Angeles Clippers
Point guard
Personal information
Born	(1985-05-06) May 6, 1985 (age 27) Lewisville, North Carolina[1]
Nationality	American
High school	West Forsyth High School
Listed height	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Listed weight	175 lb (79 kg)
Career information
College	Wake Forest
NBA Draft	2005 / Round: 1 / Pick: 4th overall
Selected by the New Orleans Hornets
Pro career	2005–present
Career history
2005–2011	New Orleans Hornets
2011–present	Los Angeles Clippers
Career highlights and awards
NBA Rookie of the Year (2006) 5× NBA All-Star (2008–2012) 2× All-NBA First Team (2008, 2012) All-NBA Second Team (2009) All-NBA Third Team (2011) All-Rookie First Team (2006) 2× NBA All-Defensive First Team (2009, 2012) 2× NBA All-Defensive Second Team (2008, 2011) 4× NBA steals leader (2008, 2009, 2011, 2012) 2× NBA assists leader (2008, 2009)

Christopher Emmanuel Paul Sr. (born May 6, 1985) is an American professional basketball point guard for the Los Angeles Clippers. 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 the New Orleans Hornets, Paul has been a NBA Rookie of the Year (2006), a five-time All-Star, and a 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 has also achieved success in the sport of bowling and is 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.

Early years[link]

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.^[2] Charles and Robin were childhood friends who grew up in Winston-Salem and were members of Dreamland Park Baptist before marrying in 1982.^[2][3] A former athlete himself, Charles taught his sons the games of basketball and football and coached them in various youth events throughout their childhood.^[2] 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,^[4][5] and winning several 14U AAU national tournaments in basketball.^[5]

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, the first such African-American-operated service station in North Carolina since 1964 during the height of the Civil Rights Movement.^[6][7] Paul describes his grandfather as "his best friend" and credits many life lessons to him.^[8]

High school[link]

In 1999, Paul began attending West Forsyth High School in Clemmons, North Carolina, where C.J. was already a star junior at point guard. Despite Paul's talent, he was at a significant disadvantage due to his 5 ft 0 in (1.52 m) 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.^[9] Meanwhile, Paul grew to 5 ft 2 in (1.57 m) by his sophomore year.^[5]

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 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m), posted 25.0 points, 5.3 assists and 4.4 steals per game to help West Forsyth (26–4) reach the state semifinals.^[10] 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 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 body 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 arhythmia. 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.^[11] In 2003, 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.^[10]

Summer circuit[link]

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 Carolina 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.^[10]

College career[link]

Paul attended Wake Forest University and played for the Demon Deacons for two seasons, leading the school to two NCAA Tournaments, including one Sweet Sixteen appearance. In Paul's freshman year, he started and made an 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 he 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.^[10]

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.^[12] During the ACC post season tournament, Paul was suspended one game for punching NC State guard Julius Hodge in the groin. ^[13] 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.

NBA career[link]

New Orleans Hornets[link]

2005–06: Rookie stardom[link]

Paul speaking with then-coach Byron Scott.

Paul was selected fourth overall by the New Orleans Hornets in the first round of the 2005 NBA Draft. 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.^[14] 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.

2006–07 season[link]

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 in the 2007 PlayStation Skills Challenge during All-Star Weekend. He played in the T-Mobile Rookie Challenge and dished out 17 assists and had 9 steals, 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[link]

Paul in a game against Boston

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,^[15] and led the NBA in steals with 2.71 per game and assists with 11.6 per game.^[16] 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,^[17] 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,^[16] 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,^[18] along with 10 assists and 4 steals.^[19] 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.^[20] 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.^[21]

He finished second in MVP voting, behind Kobe Bryant, who beat him with a margin of 306 votes.^[22] He was selected for the All-NBA First Team, 3 votes shy of a unanimous choice.

Paul 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.^[23]

2008–09 season[link]

Paul guarded by Javaris Crittenton in a March 2009 game.

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.^[24] 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.^[25]

2009–10 season[link]

After a 3–6 start to the season, the New Orleans Hornets fired Scott on November 12 and replaced him with general manager Jeff Bower, who has been involved with the franchise since 1995.^[26] 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.^[27] 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.^[28] 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.^[29] 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.^[30] 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.^[31] 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.^[32]

2010–11 season[link]

The 2010–11 season was another All-Star selection season for Paul, making it his 4th consecutive. On March 6, 2011 against the Cleveland Cavaliers, 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.

The Hornets finished the year with 46 wins to qualify as the seventh seed in the playoffs, where they would meet the defending two-time NBA Champion Los Angeles Lakers in the first round. Paul had a historic performance in the series,^[33] averaging 22 points on 54.5 percent shooting, 11.5 assists, 1.8 steals and 6.7 rebounds per game, though the Hornets fell to the heavily favored Lakers in six games. Notable performances from Paul included a game 1 win in LA, where he had 33 points, 14 assists, 7 rebounds and 4 steals,^[34] and a game 4 win in New Orleans, where Paul had 27 points, 15 assists, 13 rebounds and 2 steals.^[35]

2011 offseason[link]

Once the NBA resumed operations after the 2011 lockout, the Hornets, now owned by the NBA after acquiring the financially strapped team from George Shinn during the 2010–11 season, actively pursued trading Paul. He would be eligible to opt-out of his contract and sign elsewhere following the 2011–12 season. As a result, the Hornets did not want to risk losing Paul without getting equitable compensation in return.^[36] On the afternoon of December 8, 2011, the day before the 2011 NBA lockout ended and players could move between teams, the Hornets, the Los Angeles Lakers and the Houston Rockets agreed to a trade that would send Paul to the Lakers. That night, after other team owners voiced their opposition, league commissioner David Stern nullified the trade.^[37] Following a week of contentious trade talks with various teams, Paul was eventually traded to Los Angeles, but this time, to the Clippers rather than the Lakers.

Los Angeles Clippers[link]

Paul leads the Clippers onto the floor against the Sacramento Kings in 2012

2011–12 season[link]

On December 8, 2011, the New Orleans Hornets, the Los Angeles Lakers and the Houston Rockets agreed to a trade that would send Paul to Los Angeles. NBA commissioner David Stern nullified the trade, saying the Hornets were better off keeping Paul than accepting the terms of the deal. The league had acquired the Hornets from former owner George Shinn, and the commissioner's office has final authority over all management decisions.^[38] The three teams involved in the trade attempted to lobby the league to reverse its ruling^[39] as well as reconstruct the deal that would satisfy the league, only to met by resistance from the league who wants the Hornets to receive more youth and draft picks. Later, the Lakers pulled out of the trade talk.^[40] On December 12, the Hornets and the Los Angeles Clippers agreed to a trade that sent Paul to Los Angeles for Chris Kaman, Eric Bledsoe and Al-Farouq Aminu, but the Clippers pulled out of the talks after the Hornets asked, at the league's direction, to also include Eric Gordon and the Minnesota Timberwolves' first round pick in the 2012 draft.^[41] Two days later, on December 14, the two teams finally made the trade, sending Paul and two future second round draft picks to the Clippers for Gordon, rather than Bledsoe, as well as Kaman, Aminu, and the Minnesota Timberwolves' unprotected first round pick in the 2012 draft.^[42] Following the trade, Paul promised to "opt-in" to the final year of his contract, essentially guaranteeing he would be a member of the Clippers for at least two seasons, and implied he would like to remain in Los Angeles long term.^[43]

In his first regular season game as a Los Angeles Clipper, Paul recorded 20 points, 2 rebounds, 9 assists and 2 steals in a 105–86 win over the Golden State Warriors. He was selected as a starter for the 2012 All-Star Game.^[44]

Off the court[link]

Personal life[link]

Paul married Jada Crawley on September 10, 2011.^[45] 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 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.^[46] C.J. now works as his brother's personal manager.^[47]

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.

Chris Paul answering questions at a youth basketball camp.

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.^[48]

During the second season of ESPN's It's the Shoes, Paul revealed to Bobbito Garcia that the "CP3" nickname came 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."^[49]

Whenever Paul scored during a Hornets home game the PA Announcer would 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.^[50] 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.^[51] On November 1, 2011, Chris appeared with his family on the game show Family Feud, hosted by Steve Harvey.^[52]

Endorsements[link]

Paul has national endorsement deals with PowerAde 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.^[53] In 2007, Paul was the cover athlete for the video game NBA 2K8.^[54]

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.^[55]

Salaries[link]