King Crimson
9/30/2005, 03:47 AM
Hornets’ Paul goes right to work
By Andrew Gilman
The Oklahoman
NORMAN - Allen Iverson might be in Chris Paul’s future, but Thursday, Terrell Everett was in Paul’s face.
Paul, the Hornets’ first-round pick, played his first basketball game - albeit a pick-up game - in Oklahoma, scrimmaging against Everett and some of the Sooners at the Lloyd Noble Center.
“I gave him a good workout,” said Everett, the Oklahoma senior guard who spent most of the scrimmage guarding Paul. “I don’t know if he’ll be ready for Allen Iverson after this, but it was a workout.”
A long workout, too. Paul and the Sooners played pick-up games for nearly 90 minutes as players continued conditioning for the upcoming season.
“I’m just excited to get going,” said Paul, who flew into Oklahoma City on Wednesday night. “I can’t wait to start.”
The Hornets begin practice Tuesday at Southern Nazarene University’s Sawyer Center. And while Paul said he’s been playing games at Wake Forest against his former teammates, Thursday’s action was his first in the state.
And that came against Everett, maybe the Sooners’ best player.
“I’ve never seen anyone that fast who can handle the ball like that,” Everett said.
Paul handled the ball with ease and several times found Sooner Taj Gray for alley-oop dunks.
“This is getting me ready,” Paul said. “This team is good, too.”
Paul said he planned to work out with the Sooners again sometime before Tuesday. He said he was interested in a return to trip to Norman for another reason, too.
“I got to get Adrian Peterson’s autograph,” Paul said of the OU football standout. “That guy is a star.”
Paul was the star Thursday. He got hugs and handshakes from all the Sooner players. He got an armful of Sooner basketball T-shirts and shorts and received congratulations from coach Kelvin Sampson, who coached Paul on the Junior National team two summers ago.
Paul, an All-American last season at Wake Forest, averaged 15.3 points and 6.6 rebounds per game as a sophomore. He will join J.R. Smith in the backcourt for the Hornets this season. Smith, a McDonald’s All-American player, went directly from high school to the NBA. Smith averaged 10.3 points per game last year and was the NBA’s Rookie of the Month three times.
“I love it here,” Paul said of being in Oklahoma. “It reminds me a lot of being in North Carolina.”
And Paul said he loved being on campus - no matter what campus it was.
“Any chance to come back and (be) part of college life,” he said. “Nothing like college. I’m an OU fan now, but it’s always Wake Forest first for me. Wake first, all day long.”
By Andrew Gilman
The Oklahoman
NORMAN - Allen Iverson might be in Chris Paul’s future, but Thursday, Terrell Everett was in Paul’s face.
Paul, the Hornets’ first-round pick, played his first basketball game - albeit a pick-up game - in Oklahoma, scrimmaging against Everett and some of the Sooners at the Lloyd Noble Center.
“I gave him a good workout,” said Everett, the Oklahoma senior guard who spent most of the scrimmage guarding Paul. “I don’t know if he’ll be ready for Allen Iverson after this, but it was a workout.”
A long workout, too. Paul and the Sooners played pick-up games for nearly 90 minutes as players continued conditioning for the upcoming season.
“I’m just excited to get going,” said Paul, who flew into Oklahoma City on Wednesday night. “I can’t wait to start.”
The Hornets begin practice Tuesday at Southern Nazarene University’s Sawyer Center. And while Paul said he’s been playing games at Wake Forest against his former teammates, Thursday’s action was his first in the state.
And that came against Everett, maybe the Sooners’ best player.
“I’ve never seen anyone that fast who can handle the ball like that,” Everett said.
Paul handled the ball with ease and several times found Sooner Taj Gray for alley-oop dunks.
“This is getting me ready,” Paul said. “This team is good, too.”
Paul said he planned to work out with the Sooners again sometime before Tuesday. He said he was interested in a return to trip to Norman for another reason, too.
“I got to get Adrian Peterson’s autograph,” Paul said of the OU football standout. “That guy is a star.”
Paul was the star Thursday. He got hugs and handshakes from all the Sooner players. He got an armful of Sooner basketball T-shirts and shorts and received congratulations from coach Kelvin Sampson, who coached Paul on the Junior National team two summers ago.
Paul, an All-American last season at Wake Forest, averaged 15.3 points and 6.6 rebounds per game as a sophomore. He will join J.R. Smith in the backcourt for the Hornets this season. Smith, a McDonald’s All-American player, went directly from high school to the NBA. Smith averaged 10.3 points per game last year and was the NBA’s Rookie of the Month three times.
“I love it here,” Paul said of being in Oklahoma. “It reminds me a lot of being in North Carolina.”
And Paul said he loved being on campus - no matter what campus it was.
“Any chance to come back and (be) part of college life,” he said. “Nothing like college. I’m an OU fan now, but it’s always Wake Forest first for me. Wake first, all day long.”