Chris Paul names 2 NBA superstars who were part of his Elite Guard Camp
Like most NBA stars, Chris Paul would hold camps in the offseason to help give back to the youth. The future Hall of Famer recently opened up on two future stars who were once his campers.
On DeAndre Jordan's "Vino Talk" podcast, Paul discussed a wide range of topics. Among the things brought up were some of the big names that came through his camp over the years. Two of the names he mentioned are some of the top guards in the NBA today.
"The first year that we had camp, Eric Bledsoe and Steph Curry were both campers," Paul said. "Trae Young came in high school and college."
Eric Bledsoe was a first-round pick in 2010 and went on to play in the league for over a decade.
Along with making an all-rookie team, he was also named to two All-Defense teams. Bledsoe spent most of his career with the LA Clippers but played his final season with the New Orleans Pelicans in 2021.
Since entering the league in 2018, Trae Young has been one of the top offensvie guards in the league. He's already a multi-time All-Star and made All-NBA in 2022. This season, the Atlanta Hawks star is averaging 27.2 points and 10.8 assists.
Chris Paul and Steph Curry have a long history
Aside from being two of the top point guards of this generation, Chris Paul and Steph Curry have a long history. It started over 15 years ago at Paul's camp and might finish with them as teammates.
For most of their careers, Chris Paul and Curry were rivals in the Western Conference. While the Golden State Warriors were slowly forming a dynasty, Paul was the face of the "Lob City" LA Clippers. They battled it out numerous times in the postseason, with Curry almost always coming away victorious.
Even after Paul left the Clippers, Curry was still one of his biggest rivals. Alongside James Harden on the Houston Rockets, they came the closest to knocking off the Kevin Durant-era Warriors. If Paul had not gotten injured during the playoffs, many think the Rockets could have pulled off the upset.
Fast forward to now, and Paul and Curry are on the same team. The Golden State Warriors acquired the veteran point guard in a trade that sent Jordan Poole to the Washington Wizards. Paul has carved out a nice role for himself on the Warriors, averaging 8.9 points and 7.4 assists off the bench.