On Tuesday, Chris Paul chatted with fans in China to promote his All-Star campaign, talking about how his son reacts to his dunks, Steph Curry’s hot streak and what it’s like to become an NBA trendsetter. Here’s what he had to say!
Do you have to dance if you’re the last in the locker room?
Yeah, if I’m the last one in there I always have to dance! It was a road trip we were on and I was the last one probably 3 straight games, and everybody’s been a good sport about it…JJ Redick has probably the funniest of them all. Our goal now is to get some new guys involved. Blake, Paul, Pablo Prigioni.
How did CP4 react to your dunks?
As soon as the game was over I called him and asked him if he saw it and he was going crazy. He said daddy you didn’t just dunk once, you dunked twice. Before I leave for games and I hug him he said daddy can you dunk? Daddy can you dunk? I always send him to YouTube.
I think you’re the best point guard in the NBA. People are comparing Steph to you now – what do you think about him?
Man, it’s been pretty amazing. I wouldn’t compare myself to Steph because I don’t shoot like that. I’m thinking of all the guys I’ve guarded and I’ve never seen somebody shoot the way he is.
I love your beard! What do I have to do to get it like yours?
Patience! For the longest I couldn’t grow a beard because it would never connect. I basically had to pray on it. Water my face like a Chia pet.
I’m about to take an exam right now, but my teacher hasn’t delivered it yet. Who’s the best point guard in the NBA?
Good luck with your exam! Don’t hold me responsible for your grade! It’s tough…the point guard position is the deepest in the NBA right now. All guys have something to bring to the table. Steph, Russell Westbrook. People who get overlooked, like Lowry, Mike Conley.
You and D-Wade are good friends. What’s it like hanging out with him?
We definitely have a lot of fun. D-Wade has been a brother to me since I came into the NBA. We pretty much talk on a daily basis, with him, Melo and LeBron. It’s been fun to have a brotherhood with a group of guys like that with lots of things in common.
What do you do to become a great leader?
I think for me, being a leader was always about leading by example. Competing harder, practicing harder than everybody else. The way to be a good passer, I’m sort of a perfectionist. It helps I played QB at one time. One of the things is I pay attention to details. JJ Redick off a screen for a 3, I’m thinking about where my pass lands in his hands. That’s as important as him shooting the shot.
Who’s a better dunker – Blake or DeAndre? And if they’re both on the attack, who do you throw it up to?
Blake definitely has the most power. The flair, too. If you’re talking about throwing a lob up and all you gotta do is keep it in the arena and they can catch and dunk, that’s DJ. I think people forget DJ is like 6-11, 7 feet and has that athletic ability.
Were you afraid of exams in school? Did you hate math??
You know what’s funny? I was definitely afraid of exams. But I loved math! English as a subject was not my strong suit. Math? You ask me what the score is I’ll figure it out for you anytime.
Who was your favorite player growing up? And your favorite team?
My favorite player, as a kid growing up was MJ. Now that I’m older and play in the NBA my favorite player ever might be Tim Duncan. I know him now, but he just continues to do it year in and out. My fav team was the Bulls growing up. Allen Iverson, too! I had braids one day in high school for a day and my daddy made me take them out.
What are your thoughts about Kobe? And Kris Wu?
Kris is amazing. Big fan of everything he’s doing and everything going on over there. Kobe is…Kobe. I think it’s one of the saddest things to know he’s about to retire. This being my 11th year in the NBA, it’s just now starting to be some of the guys I grew up watching, actually competing against starting to retire. I think for me it’s becoming a realization is happens at some point for everybody. Whether people, players, fans realize it or not, the NBA and the game is gonna miss Kobe when he’s gone.
How do you get your ballhandling better?
A lot of ballhandling is just things I learned as a kid, playing at the YMCA, trying new things and practicing new things. It’s almost like improvising. I don’t know martial arts but I’ve heard a lot about it. Some people say when you’re fighting mixed martial arts, somebody punches, you just counter and react. When I’m out there dribbling I’m out there dancing and whatever you do, I counter.
As far as drills, I’m practicing my ball-handling. I’m dribbling as hard as I can, I’m gonna lose it sometimes just so when I’m in the game I feel like I’m in control.
That’s one of the best things, after 11 years in the league, is seeing things I just started doing and brought into the game and seeing guys doing it now. Like one thing where I fake a pass and spin the ball back.
