Bob Cousy (left)

Point guard (PG), also called the one, play maker or "the ball-handler," is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game and is commonly abbreviated "PG." 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 it gets to the right players at the right time. Above all, the point guard must totally understand and accept his or her coach's game plan; in this way, the position can be compared to a quarterback in American football.

Point guard characteristics[link]

A point guard, like other player positions in basketball, specializes in certain skills. A point guard's job is to create scoring opportunities for his team. Lee Rose has described a point guard as a coach on the floor, who can handle and distribute the ball to teammates^[1]. This involves setting up plays on the court, getting the ball to the teammate in the best position to score, and controlling the tempo of the game. A point guard should know when and how to instigate a fast break and when and how to initiate the more deliberate sets.^[2] Point guards are expected to be vocal floor leaders, and to discuss rule interpretations with officials. A point guard needs always to have in mind the times on the shot clock and the game clock, the score, the numbers of remaining timeouts for both teams, etc.

After an opponent scores, it is typically the point guard who brings the ball down court to begin an offensive play. Passing skills, ball handling, and court vision are crucial. Speed is important; a speedy point guard is better able to create separation and space off the dribble, giving himself room to work.^[1] Point guards are often valued more for their assist totals than for their scoring. Another major evaluation factor is Assist-to-Turnover ratio, which reflects the decision-making skills of the player. Still, a first-rate point guard should also have a reasonably effective jump shot.

Most current NBA point guards are between 5'10" and 6'4" (1.93 m) in height. In 2011 the average height of point guards in the NBA was just over 6'1". Having above average size (height, muscle) is considered advantageous, although size is secondary to situational awareness, speed, quickness, and ball handling skills. Shorter players tend to be better dribblers since they are closer to the floor, and thus have better control of the ball while dribbling. So point guards tend to be short since dribbling the ball is an essential skill for the position. Among the taller players who have enjoyed success at the position is Magic Johnson, who was 6'9" (2.06 m) and won the National Basketball Association Most Valuable Player Award three times in his career. Other point guards who have been named NBA MVP include Derrick Rose, Bob Cousy, Oscar Robertson (who somewhat foreshadowed Johnson in that he was 6'5" [1.96 m], the height of many forwards in his era), and two-time winner Steve Nash.

Styles of play[link]

Offense[link]

Steve Nash brings the ball up the court.

The point guard is almost always positioned on the perimeter of the play, so as to have the best view of the action. This is a necessity because of the point guard's many leadership obligations. Many times, the point guard is referred to by announcers as a "coach on the floor" or a "floor general." In the past, this was particularly true, as several point guards such as Lenny Wilkens served their team as a player-coach. This is not so common anymore, as most coaches are now solely specialized in coaching and are non-players. Some point guards are still given a great deal of leeway in the offense, such as Steve Nash of the Phoenix Suns. Former Suns head coach Mike D'Antoni had allowed him to freelance often when leading the Suns' offense, even letting Nash call his own plays at times. Even point guards who are not given this much freedom, however, are still extensions of their coach on the floor and must display good leadership skills.

Along with leadership and a general basketball acumen, ball-handling is a skill of great importance to a point guard. Generally speaking, the point guard is the player in possession of the ball for the most time during a game and is responsible for maintaining possession of the ball for his team in the face of any pressure from the opponents. Point guards must be able to maintain possession of the ball in crowded spaces and in traffic and be able to advance the ball quickly. A point guard that has enough ball-handling skill and quickness to be able to drive to the basket in a half-court set is also very valuable and considered by some to be a must for a successful offense.

After overall ball-handling, passing and scoring are the next most important areas of the game for a point guard. As the primary decision maker for a team, a point guard's passing ability determines how well a point guard is able to put his or her decision into play. It is one thing to be able to recognize the player that is in a tactically advantageous position, but it is another thing entirely to be able to deliver the ball to that player. For this reason, a point guard is usually, but not always, more skilled and focused on passing than shooting. However, a good jump shot and the ability to score off a drive to the basket are still valuable skills. A point guard will often use his or her ability to score in order to augment his or her effectiveness as a decision maker and play maker.

Chris Paul played in arming the U.S. Team in 2008 Olympic Games.

In addition to the traditional role of the point guard, modern teams have found new ways to utilize the position. Notably, several modern point guards have used a successful style of post play, a tactic usually practiced by much larger centers and forwards. Working off of the fact that the opposing point guard is in all probability an undersized player with limited strength, several modern point guards have developed games close to the basket that include being able to utilize the drop step, spin move, and fade away jump shot. Former New York Knicks & Indiana Pacers PG Mark Jackson, and Chauncey Billups (now of the Los Angeles Clippers) are notable examples of players who frequently use this style of play.

In recent years, the sport's shift from a fundamental style of play to a more flashy, scoring-orientated game has resulted in the proliferation of so-called combo guards at the point guard position. Usually more explosive and athletic, e.g. Brandon Jennings, Derrick Rose, Russell Westbrook, Monta Ellis, Allen Iverson, they focus more on scoring as opposed to play making, forgoing assists and ball-movement for higher scoring numbers. Young players who are relatively short (i.e. 6'0" or less) are now developing the scoring aspects of their skill-sets, whereas previously these players would find it difficult to enter the NBA without true point guard skills. These combo point guards can surprise defenses. Instead of passing after bringing up the ball they quickly drive to the basket or step back for an outside shot. There are some disadvantages to this style of play. A point guard is the only position that has the ability to take the ball from one end of the court to the other causing teammates to never touch the ball. This can cause other players to become dis-involved in the offense. Even so, combo guards still require above-average passing skill, but not as much as possessed by "pure" point guards (which is what those in the traditional mold of a point guard are referred to as).

Defense[link]

Gary Payton, one of the best defensive point guards of all time

A point guard primarily defends on the perimeter, just as he primarily plays on the perimeter on offense. On defense, the point guard is tasked with making the opposing point guard as ineffective as possible. A defensive point guard will try to accomplish this with constant pressure on the ball, making it difficult to maintain possession. A defensive point guard will also pressure opponents in passing lanes in an attempt to generate steals and scoring opportunities for his own team.

Another important task for a point guard on the defensive end is to be a help defender. Whenever the player that the point guard is tasked with defending is away from the ball, a point guard will usually allow distance to accumulate from his or her assignment in order to help his or her teammates with their assignments. Walt Frazier and Gary Payton are often considered among the greatest defensive point guards in NBA history.^[3]

See also[link]

• Bob Cousy Award – An annual award given to the nation's top NCAA male point guard
• Nancy Lieberman Award – The counterpart to the Cousy Award; given to the top NCAA female point guard

References[link]

External links[link]

Media related to Point guards at Wikimedia Commons

• FOXSports.com - Best all-time point guards, accessed 2008-02-09

Basketball positions v t e
Guards		1. Point guard	Combo guard (PG/SG)
		2. Shooting guard	Guard-forward/Swingman (SG/SF)
Forwards		3. Small forward	Stretch forward/Cornerman (SF/PF)
		4. Power forward	Point forward (PG/SF or PG/PF)
Center		5. Center	Forward-center/Bigman (PF/C)
Frontcourt (SF/PF/C) | Captain | Head coach | Referees and officials

Rajon Rondo

Rondo with the Celtics playing in a game against the Knicks
No. 9 – Boston Celtics
Point guard
Personal information
Born	(1986-02-22) February 22, 1986 (age 26) Louisville, Kentucky
Nationality	American
High school	Eastern HS (Middletown, Kentucky), Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Virginia)
Listed height	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Listed weight	186 lb (84 kg)
Career information
College	Kentucky
NBA Draft	2006 / Round: 1 / Pick: 21st overall
Selected by the Phoenix Suns
Pro career	2006–present
Career history
2006–present	Boston Celtics
Career highlights and awards
NBA Champion (2008) 3× NBA All-Star (2010–2012) All-NBA Third Team (2012) 2× NBA All-Defensive First Team (2010–2011) 2× NBA All-Defensive Second Team (2009, 2012) NBA All-Rookie Second Team (2007) NBA steals leader (2010) NBA assists leader (2012)

Rajon Pierre Rondo (born February 22, 1986) is an American professional basketball point guard with the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Born in Louisville, Kentucky, Rondo attended Eastern High School and Oak Hill Academy for his high-school basketball career, before receiving a scholarship from the University of Kentucky. He played for two years at Kentucky before declaring for the 2006 NBA Draft, represented by agent Bill Duffy.

During the draft, Rondo was selected 21st overall by the Phoenix Suns, and was subsequently traded to the Boston Celtics, where he made his NBA debut as a rookie during the 2006–07 season. He played a supporting role before he established himself as the starting point guard for the Celtics during the 2007–08 season. That season, Rondo earned his first NBA Championship, playing alongside All-Stars Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce. His breakout performance came during the 2009 NBA Playoffs, where he nearly averaged a triple-double, and helped his team take the eventual Eastern-conference champion Orlando Magic seven games in the Eastern semi-finals.^[1] He ranks eighth in Celtics history in assists and fifth in steals.^[2]

Early life[link]

Rondo was born on February 22, 1986 in Louisville, Kentucky to Amber Rondo.^[3] He has three siblings: Dymon, William and Anton.^[4] He had little contact with his father, who left his family when he was seven years old.^[4] To support the family, his mother worked the third shift at Philip Morris USA, a tobacco company.^[4] Rondo was first interested in football, before his mother steered him towards basketball because she felt that the sport would be less punishing on his skinny frame.^[4] After Rondo became serious about basketball, he attended Louisville's Eastern High School for three years where he played under head coach Doug Bibby. During his junior year at Eastern High School, he averaged 27.9 points, 10.0 rebounds and 7.5 assists which earned him a spot on the All-State honors and was named the 7th Region Player of the Year. He transferred to Virginia's Oak Hill Academy for his senior year where he averaged 21.0 points per game (ppg), 3.0 rebounds per game (rpg) and 12.0 assists per game (apg) and finished the 2003–04 season with a 38–0 record.^[5] In his senior year at Oak Hill Academy, Rondo broke Jeff McInnis's single-season school record of 303 assists, while averaging a double-double. There, he included two efforts of 27 assists and a single-game school record of 31, merely four away from the all-time national record.^[5] He also had a 55 point game in high-school, second highest all-time in Oak Hill Academy, surpassed only by Calvin Duncan with 61.^[6] Rondo was named to the McDonald's All-American Team in 2004 and scored a total of 14 points, 4 assists and 4 rebounds in the all-star game. He also participated in the 2004 Jordan Capital Classic game, logging 12 points, 5 assists and 4 steals. He ended his career as Oak Hill Academy's all-time assists leader in a single season with 494 assists, surpassing Jeff McInnis.^[7]

College career[link]

Rondo committed to University of Kentucky over hometown University of Louisville.^[8] Rondo, along with All-Americans Joe Crawford and Randolph Morris, gave Kentucky the top-rated recruiting class for 2004 according to Rivals.com.^[9] Rondo led Kentucky to several wins including clutch-shot victories against the University of Louisville, South Carolina and Central Florida, but Kentucky failed to advance to the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament in either Rondo's freshman or sophomore seasons. He was named to the SEC All-Freshmen Team.^[10] He set a Kentucky Wildcats record for most steals in single-season, with a total of 87 steals in his freshman year and made at least one steal in every game.^[11] He finished his freshman year at Kentucky averaging 8.1 points, 2.9 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.6 steals.^[12]

In his sophomore year he had a career high 12 assists against Ole Miss, despite playing just 23 minutes, and 25 points against Louisville.^[13] Rondo also set another Kentucky Wildcats record for most rebounds in a game by a guard, with 19 rebounds in an early season loss to Iowa.^[14] He was not known for being a shooter, however, going 18–66 from three with a 57.1% FT average. He averaged 11.2 points, 6.1 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 2.1 steals per game in his sophomore year.^[12] Rondo was also named to the 2005 USA Men's Under-21 World Championship Team, which traveled to Argentina for the FIBA World Championships.^[15] He averaged 11.0 ppg and 4.5 apg in the eight-game tournament, garnering much attention from NBA scouts. The USA U-21 team won a gold medal at the Global Games held in Texas in late July.

NBA career[link]

2006 NBA Draft[link]

Following the 2005–06 NCAA season, Rondo announced he would forgo his final two seasons at Kentucky and enter the NBA draft.^[16] Rondo was drafted 21st overall by the Phoenix Suns in the 2006 NBA Draft. Phoenix then traded him to the Boston Celtics along with Brian Grant for the Cleveland Cavaliers' first-round draft pick in the 2007 NBA Draft and cash considerations.^[17] He was the first point guard to be chosen in the draft.^[18] In another draft-day deal, the Celtics acquired Sebastian Telfair from the Portland Trail Blazers, finally uniting the backcourt Rick Pitino had envisioned at Louisville.^[19] He was signed by the Boston Celtics on July 4, 2006.

Rookie season[link]

During his rookie season in the NBA, Rondo played a supporting role and would split time with Sebastian Telfair and Delonte West. Rondo only started in 25 games that season due to his initial backup role to Telfair. He made his NBA regular season debut on November 1, 2006, in a home loss against the New Orleans Hornets.^[20] In his rookie season, he lacked on his jump shot which resulted in him slashing to the basket for a teardrop or layup. While coming off the bench, he managed to score a career-high 23 points against the Toronto Raptors,^[3] and record his first career double-double in a road losing effort against the Washington Wizards.^[21] In his first career start, he matched his career-high against the Los Angeles Clippers, though the line-ups were constantly being shuffled between Telfair and Rondo at the point guard.^[3] After officially becoming a starter, he began to receive more playing time (career-high forty-seven minutes of playing time)^[3] and show improvement (career-high fourteen rebounds against the San Antonio Spurs,^[22] and a career-high seven steals against the Indiana Pacers).^[3] As the mid-season approached, his numbers began to increase,^[23] which earned him an All-Rookie Second Team selection.^[24] He finished the season with an average of 6.4 ppg and 3.8 apg,^[25] ranking in the top ten in the NBA in steals (128)^[26] and also ranking in the top ten among rookies in several other categories, including first in steals, second in assists and sixth in minutes.^[23] In the end, however, the Celtics finished the season with a 24–58 win-loss record and failed to qualify for the playoffs.

2007–08 season[link]

Rondo in Game 4 of the 2008 NBA Playoffs against the Atlanta Hawks.

After Telfair and West were traded during the offseason of the 2007–08 season, Rondo secured a spot in the starting lineup, starting in every game. Surrounded by All-Stars Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen, he quickly became a steady, consistent player.^[27] In his 77 games played, he averaged 10.6 points per game (ppg), 5.1 assists per game (apg) and 4.2 rebounds per game (rpg).^[25] His role as a playmaker reflected in him leading the team in assists and steals. In a game against the New Jersey Nets, Rondo suffered a lower back injury late in the third quarter, forcing him to miss the next four games.^[28] He made his successful return from injury and to the starting lineup in a road win against the New York Knicks.^[29] A week later, he matched his career-high against the Miami Heat,^[30] and then scored a career-high 24 points in a home game against the Los Angeles Clippers the following month.^[31] During the All-Star break, he was selected to play on the Sophomore Team in the T-Mobile Rookie Challenge and Youth Jam.^[32] Following the All-Star weekend, Rondo recorded a career-high 16 assists in a home victory against the Charlotte Bobcats.^[33] Despite his solid rookie year, there was much speculation about Boston needing a veteran point guard.^[34] In March, they signed veteran point guard Sam Cassell as a free agent to serve as a backup.^[34] The Celtics' best single-season improvement in NBA history earned them the number one seed in the Eastern Conference Playoffs.

Following the regular season, Rondo finished in the top five for the NBA Most Improved Player voting.^[35] Rondo made his playoff debut on April 20, 2008 against the Atlanta Hawks and finished the game with 15 points, 9 assists and 2 steals. The Celtics closed out the series in seven games, went on to defeat Cleveland in the next round, and then defeated the Pistons in the Eastern Conference Finals. In the NBA Finals, facing the Los Angeles Lakers, Rondo recorded two strong performances, including a career-high 16 assists in Game 2. In Game 3, however, Rondo left the court in the third quarter after rolling his ankle.^[36] The ankle injury was considered a "non-factor", and Rondo eventually made his return in Game 4.^[37] In Game 6, the point guard posted a playoffs career-high 6 steals as the Celtics defeated the Lakers 4–2, giving Rondo his first NBA championship ring. After the game Lakers head coach Phil Jackson called Rondo the "star" of Game 6.^[34]

2008–09 season[link]

Rondo with a layup in a game against the New Orleans Hornets.

In his third NBA campaign, the Celtics began the season with the best starting record in NBA history and also set a franchise record with a nineteen-game winning streak.^[38] Rondo's numbers increased from his previous season performance; however, he was criticized for his shooting.^[39] He recorded his first career triple-double along with a career-high in assists (16 points, 13 rebounds and 17 assists), against the Indiana Pacers.^[40] In a home win against the New York Knicks, Rondo led the team to tie a franchise record with eighteen straight wins.^[41] However, after the winning streak was snapped the team struggled, losing seven out of nine games after ending the streak.^[42] Rondo—matched up with one of the league's quicker guards, Tony Parker—recorded 16 assists in a losing effort against the Spurs, one short of his season-high.^[43] Less than a week later against the Mavericks, he recorded his second career triple-double (19 points, 15 rebounds and 14 assists),^[44] and then recorded a career-high 32 points against the Phoenix Suns on his 23rd birthday.^[45] He became the first NBA athlete to sign an endorsement contract with Red Bull on April 17, 2009. He finished the season ranking fifth in the NBA in assists (8.2) and steals (1.9).^[46] The team finished the season as the second seed in the Eastern Conference, although they entered the playoffs without their injured All-Star power forward Kevin Garnett.

In the playoffs match-up against the Chicago Bulls, despite putting up a playoff career-high 29 points in Game 1, the Celtics lost in overtime.^[47] Boston won the next two games and in Games 2 and 4, Rondo recorded triple-doubles^[48] and became the first Celtic player with two triple-doubles in the same series since Larry Bird in 1986. He also became the first player with multiple triple-doubles in the same playoff series since Jason Kidd had three triple-doubles in the 2002 Eastern Conference Finals.^[49] In Game 6, he recorded a career-high 19 assists without a turnover, tying an NBA playoffs record.^[50] In the next round against the Orlando Magic, the Celtics lost the first game before Rondo's triple-double performance in Game 2 helped secure a home win. His third triple-double of the postseason tied Larry Bird's franchise record and also became the first to do that since Jason Kidd had four.^[51] However, the Celtics were defeated in seven games in the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals.^[52] During the postseason, Rondo nearly averaged a triple double with 16.9 points, 9.7 rebounds and 9.8 assists.^[53]

2009–10 season[link]

During the 2009–10 season, Rondo averaged career highs in points (13.7), assists (9.8) and steals (2.3) and became the first Celtic to lead the league in steals.^[54] On November 2, 2009, Rondo signed a five-year extension with the Celtics worth a guaranteed $55 million.^[55] In a road victory against the Orlando Magic on Christmas day, Rondo recorded 17 points, 13 rebounds and 8 assists, two assists shy of a triple double.^[56] Three days later, Rondo scored 30 points along to go with 15 assists in a road loss to the Golden State Warriors.^[57] On January 10, 2010, Rondo recorded his third regular-season career triple-double, with 22 points, 13 assists and 10 rebounds against the Toronto Raptors.^[58] On January 28, 2010, he received his first NBA All-Star selection as a reserve on the Eastern Conference squad for the 2010 NBA All-Star Game.^[59] He also competed in the 2010 H-O-R-S-E contest but lost In the finals to Kevin Durant.^[60] Rondo recorded his fourth regular-season career triple-double against the Denver Nuggets on March 24, 2010, with 11 points, 15 assists and 11 rebounds.^[61] Two days later against the Sacramento Kings, Rondo entered the game tied with Rick Fox for a franchise record of most steals in a single-season (167), eventually establishing the record with a second-quarter steal from Sean May.^[62] In a game against the Houston Rockets on April 2, 2010, he broke Bob Cousy's franchise record for most assists in a single-season.^[63]

In the 2010 NBA Playoffs, the Celtics defeated the Miami Heat in five games and faced the Cleveland Cavaliers in the second round. In Game 2, Rondo dished out 19 assists tying his career-high and also tying a franchise record for most assists in a playoff game.^[64] In Game 4, he recorded his fourth postseason triple-double along with a playoff career-high 29 points and 18 rebounds.^[65] He joined Wilt Chamberlain and Oscar Robertson as the only other player in NBA history to have 29 points, 18 rebounds and 13 assists in a playoff game.^[66] The Celtics eventually defeated the Cavaliers and the Orlando Magic in the Eastern Conference Finals in six games.^[67] In the Finals, the Celtics once again faced the Los Angeles Lakers, a team they previously beat in 2008. In Game 2, Rondo recorded his second triple-double of the postseason (19 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists),^[68] however, despite Rondo's performance, the Celtics succumbed to the Lakers in seven games.^[69]

2010–11 season[link]

In the first game of the 2010–11 season, Rondo put up 17 assists, which tied with Oscar Robertson for the third-most assists in a season opener.^[70] In the third game of the season, he dished out a career-high 24 assists along with a triple-double (10 points and 10 rebounds) against the New York Knicks.^[71] It tied him with Isiah Thomas as the only players in NBA history to have at least 24 assists in a triple-double.^[72] His total of 50 assists through the first three games of the season tied John Stockton's NBA record for most assists in the first 3 games of the season.^[72] In the next game against the Detroit Pistons, he finished the game with 17 assists for a total of 67 assists, which is the most assists in the teams first four games in NBA history.^[73] With a 15 assists effort the following day, Rondo again set a record for most assists through the first five games.^[74]

Rondo's season also began with injuries. He has played through plantar fasciitis in his feet.^[75] He missed three games in November due to a strained left hamstring.^[76] He sprained his left ankle in a win against the New York Knicks on December 15, 2010, and missed the next seven games.^[77] On April 22, in the third game of the first-round playoff series against the New York Knicks, Rondo had a triple-double with 20 assists.^[78] Rondo set a Celtics franchise record for most assists in a playoff game. He was also tied with LeBron James with 6 career triple-double in the playoffs until James had reached his seventh further on in the playoffs during Game 4 of the Finals.^[78][79] Rondo had the third best selling jersey in the league during the 2010-11 season, behind only James and Kobe Bryant.^[80]

2011–12 season[link]

On February 21, 2012, Rondo was named an injury replacement for Joe Johnson on the Eastern Conference roster at the 2012 NBA All-Star Game.^[81] With 18 points, 17 rebounds, and 20 assists against the Knicks on March 4, he joined Wilt Chamberlain, Magic Johnson, and Jason Kidd as the only players to have at least 15 points, rebounds, and assists in the same game.^[82] In a win against the Heat on April 1, Rondo registered another triple-double (16 points, 14 assists and 11 rebounds).^[83] Rondo closed out the regular season with 24 consecutive games of 10+ assists. This is not only a Celtics franchise record, but is also the longest streak the NBA has seen since John Stockton logged a streak of 29 such games in 1992. Only Magic Johnson and Stockton have streaks longer than Rondo's, which is still considered active and will resume at the beginning of the 2012-13 regular season.^[84]

Rondo posted his sixth triple-double of the season (with 20 assists) in an overtime win against the Hawks on April 11.^[85] He had his first triple double of the 2012 playoffs against the same team on May 4,^[86] another on May 13 in the first game of the second round against the 76ers,^[87] and a third on May 26 in the last game of that round, helping the Celtics advance to the Eastern Conference finals.^[88] He joined Larry Bird as the only Celtics players to record a triple-double in a Game 7 and is tied with Wilt Chamberlain for the fourth-most postseason triple-doubles in NBA history.^[89] In Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals, Rondo scored a career high 44 points while grabbing 8 rebounds and adding 10 assists.^[90] According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Rondo is the only player in NBA history with 44 points, 10 assists, and 8 rebounds in a playoff game.^[90]

NBA career statistics[link]

Correct as of end of the 2011-12 regular season^[25]

Regular season[link]

Playoffs[link]

Awards and honors[link]

• 1× NBA Champion: 2008
• 3× NBA All-Star: 2010, 2011, 2012 ^[91]
• 1× All-NBA Team:

• Third Team: 2012

• 4× NBA All-Defensive:

• First Team: 2010, 2011
• Second Team: 2009, 2012

• NBA All-Rookie selection:

• Second team: 2007

• NBA regular season leader:

• 2010: most steals (189), most steals per game (2.3)
• 2012: most assists per game (11.4), most triple-doubles (6)

• NBA postseason leader:

• 2008: most assists (172), most steals (45)
• 2009: most assists (127), most triple-doubles (3)
• 2010: most triple-doubles (2), most steals (46)
• 2011: most triple-doubles (1)
• 2012*: most assists (165), most assists per game (11.8), most triple-doubles (3)

*active series

• Boston Celtics franchise records:

• Most assists in a single season: 794 (2009–10)
• Most steals in a single season: 189 (2009–10)
• Most assists in a playoff game: 20 (2010–11)
• Most assists per game (season): 11.7 (2011-12)
• Most consecutive games with 10+ assists (regular season): 24* (2011-12)

*active streak

See also[link]

• List of National Basketball Association career playoff assists leaders
• List of National Basketball Association players with most assists in a game

Footnotes[link]

External links[link]

• Rajon Rondo at NBA.com
• Rajon Rondo at Basketball-Reference.com
• The Official Site of Rajon Rondo
• YardBarker – Rajon Rondo's Blog
• NBA.com Draft Profile
• Profile at UKAthletics.com
• ESPN.com Player Card
• Rajon Rondo Career Stats
• ESPN.com 2010 NBA Playoffs Feature: "9 Stories on No. 9: The Legend of Rondo"; 06/08/10

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]

Awards and honors[link]

• 5× NBA All-Star: 2008–12
• 4× All-NBA Team:
  • First Team: 2008, 2012
  • Second Team: 2009
  • Third Team: 2011
• 4× NBA All-Defensive Team:
  • First Team: 2009, 2012
  • Second Team: 2008, 2011
• NBA Rookie of the Year: 2006
• NBA All-Rookie First Team: 2006
• Bronze medal with Team USA, 2006 FIBA World Championship
• Gold medal with Team USA, 2008 Summer Olympic Games