In the NBA, there are three players who I love watching because I feel like every play they are going to do something magical. Lebron James, Kobe Bryant and Chris Paul. If you look away, you're liable to miss a dunk, an alley-oop, a monster block, a steal, a great pass or a nifty finish.
Paul had one of those games last night against the 76ers. He finished with 27 points, 15 assists, 10 rebounds, 7 steals and 4 blocks. The Hornets are having a below-average season according to expectations, but even though Chandler and Peja have not played up to par, Paul rarely disappoints.
As Jason Kidd has continued to decline and the team around Steve Nash is not built for their coach with D'Antoni leaving to the Knicks, CP3 has really earned his place as the best PG in the NBA. I still feel like he should have won the MVP last year and even though Lebron is probably going to win this year (deservedly--as no player makes his team better like James can and with the addition of Mo Williams the Cavs have become the best team in the Eastern Conference), there is no doubt in my mind that Paul will have at least one MVP in his future.
He only was at Wake Forest for two years, but his lasting impact for the school will not be the two years he spent here, but the years since (and beyond) and the time he spends talking up the Demon Deacons. He is the program's biggest advocate and does wonders in the Winston-Salem community, especially on his Chris Paul Winston-Salem Weekend, where NBA stars and others group together for a series of programs and events (this year, Lebron James won the bowling tournament).
The other benefit is immeasurable: the effect Paul has had on future recruits. High school players see not only the success Chris has had, but the person he has become. He embodies the spirit of the Wake Forest athlete from his leadership, passion and work ethic as well as the way he conducts himself on and off the court. It's very easy to root for Chris Paul, and even easier to want to watch him play.