From Dennis Velasco,
Your Guide to Basketball.
FREE Newsletter. Sign Up Now!

Name: Christopher Emmanuel Paul
Born: May 6, 1985 in Winston-Salem, NC

Team: New Orleans Hornets
Position: Point Guard
Height: 6'0"
Weight: 175 lbs.

Nicknames: CP3

High School: West Forsyth in Winston-Salem, NC
College: Wake Forest University
Drafted: 2005; 1st round, 4th pick by the New Orleans Hornets

Teams Played For In Career:

• New Orleans Hornets (2005-Present)

MAJOR AWARDS AND HONORS:

Rookie of the Year

• 2005-06 NBA Rookie of the Year

NBA All-Rookie Team

• 2005-06 All-Rookie First Team

Background:

Paul was a 2003 McDonald's All-American and was named North Carolina's Mr. Basketball for 2003 by the Charlotte Observer. As a senior he led his team to a 27-3 record and the Class 4A Eastern Regional finals. Paul continued to have success in college as at Wake Forest he was named the ACC Rookie of the Year and was a consensus First-Team All-American in 2005. Declaring for the draft after his sophomore season, Paul was one of the most highly sought-after prospects in the 2005 NBA draft.

Along with Joe Johnson, Paul became friends with fellow young superstars Lebron James, Carmelo Anthony and Dwyane Wade while playing for Team USA. They dubbed themselves, "Our Family."

His Career Thus Far:

Paul showed that he is already one of the best guards in the league during his rookie campaign. Suiting up for 78 games, he finished the year ranking fifth in total assists with 611 and led the league in steals with 175. As the years go by, it will be hard to believe that three teams passed on the chance to draft Paul. He played for Team USA during the 2006 FIBA World Basketball Championship tournament and will be looked to as a key player in the quest to bring back the gold at Beijing 2008.

MORE ON CHRIS PAUL:

• NBA.com Player Info Page
• New Orleans Hornets Official Team Website