When one hears the phrase “pro-athlete”, the words generous, humble, gracious and unselfish usually aren’t the first adjectives that come to mind to describe such a person. However, when one considers all that New Orleans Hornets’ point guard Chris Paul brings to both his city and his team, it’s really hard not to like the guy.
From the very second his high school playing days began to his time as a breakout star at Wake Forest University, Chris Paul was considered a highly-toted prospect pretty much since he first laced up his sneakers and put on a jersey. When the New Orleans Hornets selected Paul 4th overall, he was also arguably the most coveted player heading into the 2005 NBA Draft and they got everything they expected and a whole lot more from their prized point guard. Paul made his impact immediately in the big league winning NBA Rookie of the Year in 2006. His long list of accolades includes an Olympic Gold Medal, four All-Star appearances and recognition as a member of both an All-Defensive and All-NBA team.
Despite all the awards and praise that he receives due to his dominant all-around play, the humble Paul is probably most proud of his two NBA Community Assist Awards that he’s received for the vast amount of community work that he does off the court.
Chris Paul and his family established the CP3 Foundation in 2005 in honour of his late grandfather. The foundation focuses on enriching the lives of underprivileged youth in the communities of Winston-Salem (Chris’ hometown) and New Orleans (the city he now calls home). Paul hosts countless events that have become staples of the organization, which has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars over the past five years. The Chris Paul Winston-Salem Weekend is a three-day celebration of the star’s hometown where the community comes together to promote volunteerism and pride within their locale. The Nathaniel Jones Scholarship Fund (in memory of Chris’ grandfather) annually awards a Forsyth County student the opportunity to attend Wake Forest University, while the CP3 Afterschool Zone provides children in New Orleans with a positive afterschool environment to teach them responsibility so they can learn and grow.
Along with all these notable events and programs, the CP3 Foundation has teamed up to assist a variety of other prominent charities including: The Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Feed The Children and the Make A Wish Foundation, while also providing a helping hand to the relief efforts in Haiti (CP3’s foundation raised over $61,000 towards rebuilding Haiti after the earthquake). Paul also hosts a number of free basketball camps and clinics every year to share his immense knowledge and love for his sport while encouraging physical activity among today’s youth. An avid bowler and golfer, his annual Celebrity Bowling Tournament and CP3 Golf Classic teams pros with celebrities for a day of fun all while raising money for his award-winning foundation.
Whether it’s helping to make his communities better places to live, promoting healthy, beneficial lifestyles among young people or supplying the troops overseas with both physical objects and moral support, Chris Paul has set an excellent example of how one should put their talents and good fortune to use for the benefit of others.
In a league where many of its players egos are larger than their salaries (‘The Decision’ anyone?), it’s refreshing to see that there are still some NBA players out there that care enough to make a difference and are so willing to give back to the communities that have given so much to them. So whether he’s unleashing his deadly accurate 3-ball, practicing his lay-ups or dunking on Dwight Howard on the court, you can guarantee that Chris Paul is doing even more impressive things off the court using the same unselfish attitude that’s helped him pile up a career average of 10 assists per game, while implementing the same hard-working mentality that’s earned him four straight All-Star appearances. Chris Paul, an All-Star in every sense of the word. His grandfather would be proud.
For more information on Chris’ charity and to find out how you can donate or contribute, visit www.cp3foundation.org
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