My Favorite Player: Chris Paul

This is the most inspiring basketball video I have ever seen. For Sports Psychology, I have been assigned to study and track a professional athlete's training habits and lifestyle. I chose Chris Paul, point guard for the New Orleans Hornets in the NBA because he is my favorite player and the player who I try to base my game on when I play. I like him because he looks to pass first and shoot second, and he makes his teammates so much better by distributing the ball and leading his team. I love watching him play. This video has a great story behind it though. When Chris Paul was a senior in high school, he averaged 31 points, 8 assists, 5 rebounds, and 6 steals per game on his way to becoming North Carolina's "Mr. Basketball" for 2003. Tragically however, during his senior season his grandfather was beaten to death in his own carport during a robbery at 61 years of age. In memory of his grandfather who he loved dearly, Chris scored 61 points in his next basketball game and then intentionally missed the free throw so he could stay at 61 in honor of his grandfather. He walked off the court to hug his father and cried on the sideline. When I first heard about this, I thought it was amazing, and it just made me like Chris Paul even more and I respect him more as a person. He did an incredible thing in honoring his grandfather--may he rest in peace.