One must put in years of hard work and dedication to become a 12-time NBA All-Star. It isn’t easy, and LA Clippers guard Chris Paul can testify to it. Paul spent a good portion of his life perfecting his on-court skills, but he does not take all of the credit.
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Paul attributes much of his success to his family, and it’s easy to see why. They instilled in him the value of hard work, discipline and the need to earn one’s worth, all key traits that helped him become one of the greatest point guards of his time.
Promoting his new book, Sixty-One: Life Lessons from Papa, On and Off the Court, Paul joined HBR for an exclusive heart-to-heart. He explained the impact his grandfather, whom he refers to as papa, had in shaping him as an adult.
“One was the importance of hard work. He had the first Black-owned service station in North Carolina. So me and my brother grew up pumping gas, rotating tires, and changing oil. We saw what real work looked like, and I’m grateful for it,” Paul revealed.
His grandfather would also ensure that the kids knew just how hard he was working to raise them. Though his papa had money on him, he wouldn’t just give it to the kids when they asked for sneakers or other items. “He told us that if we wanted it, we had to earn it,” he reminisced.
Paul’s grandfather apparently did this to everyone. If someone asked him for help, his papa would ensure that they weren’t given handouts but instead taught the skills to help themselves or offered jobs.
“When you’re a kid, you’re seeing this but not realizing how it affects you. ‘That’s just what papa does.’ As you get older you see how it’s appreciated, how many people came by to thank him. It maybe didn’t really hit me until I lost him when I was 17. But it made me want to have his work ethic and help others the way he did for his entire life,” he explained.
Paul has carried those values with him and has gone on to play in the NBA for two decades now. The two-time Olympic gold medalist has played for multiple teams and even served as the president of the National Basketball Players Association for eight years. He has reportedly earned around $400 million during his playing days.
Though his grandfather is no longer with him, Paul will be eager to continue doing the good work he instilled in him.
