NBA veteran Chris Paul opened up about his draft night experience, revealing his certainty that he would be selected by the Atlanta Hawks, only to face a surprising turn of events.
In a candid interview on “The Why with Dwyane Wade,” a co-production of iHeartPodcasts and Wade’s 59th & Prairie Entertainment, Paul shared his expectations leading up to the 2005 NBA Draft and the moment he realized his fate would be different from what he anticipated.
Reflecting on the anticipation leading up to the draft, Paul recalled his optimism about joining the Hawks, stating, “They say, ‘Number two pick, the Atlanta Hawks–’ I started getting up. Like literally I just knew…I knew I was going to the Hawks.”
However, the script took an unexpected twist when the Hawks announced the selection of Marvin Williams instead, leaving Paul in disbelief.
Despite the initial disappointment, Paul’s draft journey led him to the New Orleans Hornets, where he embarked on a stellar NBA career filled with numerous accolades and accomplishments.
Recalling the emotional rollercoaster of draft night, Paul emphasized the life-changing significance of hearing his name called, even if it wasn’t where he initially expected.
Sharing insights into his mindset during the draft process, Paul revealed his candid conversation with then-New Orleans Hornets head coach Byron Scott, expressing his preference for playing closer to his North Carolina roots.
However, Paul’s expectations were dashed when the Hawks opted for Marvin Williams instead, leaving him in disbelief. “They said, ‘Marvin Williams.’ I was like ‘Oh man,’” he reminisced.
Despite the initial setback, Paul’s draft journey led him to the New Orleans Hornets, where he began his illustrious NBA career.
“The number three pick, the Utah Jazz–’ No offense to y’all [but] I had my fingers crossed, don’t say my name. Please don’t say my name! Please!…That was too far west for me, I’m east coast!” he recalled, emphasizing his desire to land in a location that felt like home.
Paul also revealed a candid conversation he had with then-New Orleans Hornets head coach Byron Scott, expressing his preference for playing closer to his North Carolina roots.
“Now it’s coming to the fourth pick, now mind you, I forgot to tell you this part of the story, when I went to eat at [TGI] Fridays with B. Scott [Byron Scott]…that was my first time meeting him…and he was like, ‘Whatchu thinking?’ And I told him straight up, I was honest with him because he was like, ‘they said you ain’t wanna come work out,’” Paul recalled.
“And I was like, ‘Look, no disrespect, I’m from North Carolina, I’d rather go to Charlotte. So night of the draft, they said, ‘Number four pick, the New Orleans Hornets–’ and they said my name.
“When I tell this story people are like damn, were you like damn? No! This was still a life-changing experience. I was so excited, my family, we was going crazy, crying, hugging. And I went right to the back and I called B. Scott and he was like your workout was just too good, I couldn’t pass up on you.”
