Chris Paul was drafted by the then New Orleans Hornets just two months before Hurricane Katrina struck the city. The storm caused Paul’s debut in front of the home crowd to be delayed by two years while the Hornets temporarily played in Oklahoma City for the 2005-06 and 2006-07 seasons. Even though the fans of New Orleans only got to see him play in their city for a few years before he was traded to the Clippers, CP3 still speaks of an unbreakable bond he has with the city and people.
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It’s where Paul first started turning heads, winning Rookie of the Year while playing in the city. “It’ll always have a special place in my heart,” Paul said.
Paul wrapped up his last season at Wake Forest averaging 15.3 points, 6.6 assists and 4.4 rebounds per game during his 2004-05 season, and the NBA Draft was his next step. Paul had thoughts of staying close to home, which would’ve happened had he gone No. 5 overall to Charlotte. Instead, the point guard was selected No. 4 overall to New Orleans, and he quickly fell in love with the city. However, nothing could’ve prepared him for what was about to occur after he bought his house there, as Hurricane Katrina ravaged the city just two months after he was drafted. Paul was back home in North Carolina as he watched what unfolded in what would be his new home. “I was laying in my bedroom,” Paul remembered. “I was just laying there, had just gotten back from New Orleans and I was in New Orleans the week before. It was one of the most devastating things I had seen.”
As mentioned earlier, the storm caused the fans to have to wait two extra years from when he was drafted to be able to see him play at home. Indirectly, the storm also gave birth to the Oklahoma City Thunder franchise but that’s a totally different story.
When he finally was able to play for the home folks, although it wasn’t for as many years as they hoped, he gave everything he had, as he still does to this day with the Clippers.
Paul returned to play in New Orleans for the first time on March 22, 2012. It was admittedly emotional before the tip for Paul, who still had roots in the city. Even after Paul left New Orleans, he was supporting the New Orleans community and its residents, creating the CP3 Afterschool Zone to provide personalized after-school experiences for young kids. He brought them to the game, which the Hornets won by seven points. “The people in New Orleans helped shape and mold me into the person I am today.” Paul told Clippers.com before that game in New Orleans. Just three years after going 18-64, Paul helped the Hornets, now the Pelicans, become a winning team and a playoff team.
Today on the 10th anniversary of the day Katrina touched landfall in New Orleans, Paul took to social media to make sure folks there still know he will never forget them.
Check the gallery!
