Chris Paul Interview
Player Interviews | June 12, 2005
Wake Forest point guard Chris Paul will be in the 2005 NBA Draft and is expected to be taken in the lottery. He's 6-0 and 175 pounds, and in his sophomore season averaged 15.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, 6.6 assists and 2.4 steals per game. Here's what Paul had to say in an interview at the June 2005 NBA pre-draft camp in Chicago:
Q: Why do you think you’re here today and not preparing for your junior season?
Chris Paul: It was a tough decision, but in the end, I realized, you only live your dream one time, and it’s definitely a dream to play in the NBA, and hopefully that dream will be fulfilled.
Q: What type of impact do you feel you can have next season?
Chris Paul: Huge impact. I feel like if I go to the right team with the right system, anything can happen.
Q: Was it tough to leave college?
Chris Paul: Definitely. I think the reason I was torn was because of my teammates more than anything. We were like brothers. I still try to get back there as much as possible now, even when they’re in summer school, because they’re family and I want them to be a part of this process.
Q: Who would you compare yourself to, in terms of your feistiness?
Chris Paul: I guess you could sort of say Isiah Thomas. I think it’s all in that I hate to lose. No matter what it is. If I’m playing against my mom in a little board game, in the end I want to win. I just hate to lose.
Q: Do you think that’s going to go over well in the NBA?
Chris Paul: I think so. I just think you have to learn how to manage it. You can be feisty, but you have to know where to join the line.
Q: Do teams like that you think?
Chris Paul: I think they do. A couple of teams have said they like that about me. They’d rather you’d have a little edge about you than be laid back and reserved.
Q: Have teams showed some concern about your size?
Chris Paul: Not to me. They might talk about it behind closed doors, but not to me.
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