Chris Paul recently pulled up to The Pivot Podcast to talk about several subjects — including his decision to graduate from his hometown HBCU — Winston-Salem State University.
The Phoenix Suns guard and future Hall of Famer told the podcast hosts — Ryan Clark, Fred Taylor and Channing Crowder — why he decided to finish his degree at WSSU instead of Wake Forest.
“I grew up in Winston-Salem. Wake Forest was down the street, then you had Winston-Salem State both in Winston-Salem,” Paul said. “I don’t know nothing about the school I don’t know that this is a PWI, I don’t know this is a HBCU — right — I don’t never go to Wake Forest. Like they got like trees around the campus so you can’t see there but I would go to Winston-Salem State all the time because we would go to the football games on Saturday. My cousins, all my family went there and so that’s just my normal.”
When its came time to make a college choice, Paul picked Wake Forest where he played two seasons before going on to become the third pick in the 2005 NBA Draft.
“I went to Wake Forest University and I’m so grateful for that opportunity and what I was able to do from Wake Forest but that doesn’t mean that I still can’t support Winston-Salem State and A&T and all that.”
Chris Paul tried to finish his degree at Wake Forest, but experienced an academic setback due to his career.
I was like I’m gonna take some classes I want to graduate from Winston-Salem State I went to Wake Forest and did those couple years. I loved to marriage that whole thing together man and it was a process it was one of the dopest things ever.
Chris Paul graduated from Winston-Salem State with his degree in Communications in December.
When Crowder asked Paul why he felt the need to get his degree despite his wealth, he explained it was about more than financial rewards.
“For me it’s it’s about completion. For real it’s about completion. I ain’t never been a quitter. Never will be. But it’s something I told my mom right before I left school. Like when I went that I was going to do it. I’ll never forget my brother when he graduated I was just so proud everybody in my family didn’t get that opportunity.”
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