Los Angeles Clippers: Building Franchise’s Mount Rushmore
By Mary Coyne
Chris Paul
Christopher Emmanuel Paul was traded to the Clippers by the New Orleans Hornets in 2011. He is the point guard and leader of the Clipper team. He runs the show.
At six feet tall Paul plays the point position exclusively averaging 18.7 points, 4.4 rebounds, 9.9 assists, and 2.3 steals per game. Everything runs through him. It is his job to get players involved; to defend the point position, to change the tempo, to penetrate the paint to create scoring opportunities for his teammates. Paul does it all and he does it well.
More from Los Angeles Clippers
- LA Clippers: Ty Lue promoted to head coach
- Los Angeles Clippers: Doc Rivers shockingly out as head coach
- LA Clippers: Where does the team go from here?
- LA Clippers: 2019-20 Season has been a huge failure
- LA Clippers: The hype was real but the execution wasn’t
He had led the NBA in steals six times and in assists four times. He has earned All-Defensive honors and All-NBA Honors eight times.
Off the court, Paul serves as the President of the National Basketball Player’s Association, a position he’s held since 2013. He was the central figure in the banning of Clippers owner Donald Sterling after racist remarks he made in 2014.
Besides being a team leader and top producer for the Clippers, Paul has shown moral strength and fortitude both on and off the court and must be placed in the middle position of Mt. Rushmore.
The Los Angeles Clippers began as the Buffalo Braves with Bob McAdoo leading the way. He led the franchise to their first playoff series and changed the game along the way.
Next: Dodgers Injuries Mounting
Today, the Clippers continue their quest for an NBA Championship and their best hope lies on the shoulders of Griffin, Jordan, and Paul. They are a lethal combination and when they are all healthy and able to play together for a significant amount of time, their chances of accomplishing this goal should go way up.