LAS VEGAS – There’s Photoshop, there’s reality and then there’s Chris Paul in a Warriors jersey.
Warriors fans on the day of the 2023 NBA Draft had to double check, and triple check, they hadn’t been duped. They simply couldn’t believe one of Golden State’s longest and greatest rivals was about to join forces with Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and the rest of the Warriors after being traded from the Washington Wizards in a move that ended Jordan Poole’s four-year tenure in The Bay.
“Yeah, neither could my family,” Paul said Sunday at his introductory press conference at the Thomas & Mack Center on UNLV’s campus.
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The 38-year-old future Hall of Fame point guard has had numerous battles against Steve Kerr and the Warriors’ Big Three. From the Lob City Los Angeles Clippers to Paul’s days on the Houston Rockets and even the Phoenix Suns for the last three seasons, blood boiling and true competitive angst always was felt from the hardwood to watching games from your couch.
Get ready for a completely new reality.
Paul and Curry aren’t wasting any time in getting better and getting to know each other as teammates. That relationship began before Curry even started playing at Davidson, too.
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Both are North Carolina products. Curry and his wife, Ayesha, were at Paul’s wedding. His wife, Jada, attended the Curry wedding. On Sunday in Las Vegas, Curry and Paul worked out together for the first time in 14 years.
“Weren’t a lot of misses,” Paul said.
“It’s cool, I’ve been a part of his journey and he’s been a part of mine,” Paul later continued. “Before his rookie year he traveled with me and my family. I know his dad, family and all that. Kids and everything. It’s been so dope to see. Him, Seth and all that, and we’re crazy competitors – as we should be. There are times where you get to reflect, a text here and there congratulating each other. Even working out today, we were just laughing. I don’t think we’ve worked out together since 2009. It’s a great opportunity and a blessing to still be doing this at our ages, because he ain’t young either.”
For all the years Paul remembers running around the court trying to guard Curry, he also remembers Thompson being the one guarding him. There's respect there, and the space cadet of elite shooting guards is hard not to get along with.
The real question since news of this wild trade came through was much more about how Paul and Green would get along. In a 2020 interview, Green didn’t hold back, saying “I don't like CP at all, we don't have a good relationship at all.” But his tone has changed since Mike Dunleavy Jr. made Paul a Warrior.
Green on Paul George’s podcast, “Podcast P,” said he believes Paul will “completely unlock Jonathan Kuminga,” and added “I look forward to learning that from him.”
The admiration appears to be mutual. Their fierce playing styles and merciless personalities are bound to turn up the temperature at Chase Center.
“Draymond is sort of like, I always say when people ask me who was the one player that I didn't get to play with and I wish I would have, I’ve always said Kevin Garnett. And it's because the first three times I ever played against KG, we both got double techs,” Paul said. “We were about to fight every time, but it was because he was like-minded like me.
“I think that's the way with Draymond. I know he competes just like I do. So it's gonna be definitely dope to see us now as teammates.”
In the last decade, between the regular season and playoffs, Green has more wins than anybody else in the NBA. Curry is second, Paul is fourth and Thompson is sixth.
Three of those players have won four championship rings wearing Warriors jerseys. Paul is here to help them win their fifth title, and finally check that box for himself, no matter how much time it will take getting used to.
“Never thought I’d see the day,” Paul repeated twice after posing for pictures holding his white No. 3 Warriors jersey.
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