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NBA Star Chris Paul ON: How To Build Resilience & Overcome Societal Pressures

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This content is an interview with NBA player Chris Paul, discussing his memoir "61," which delves into his life lessons, family history, career challenges, and personal growth, emphasizing themes of hard work, resilience, and the importance of family and legacy.

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people are always going to say something

always they're going to try to have some

type of narrative but as long as you

know what's real I think that's what can

help you keep your sanity the

best-selling authoring host the number

one Health and Wellness podcast on

purpose with Jay Shetty

I want to start off with just setting

context for people

season's just finished yeah heading it

off into the playoffs like how do you prepare

prepare

at this time it's a big year huge start

for you you talk about hard work work

ethic in the book all the time but how

is this different or how do you set

yourself up yes wow though this is my

18th season right in the NBA and it's been

been

a lot right a lot of good things have

happened but a lot of unfortunate bad

things have happened losses injuries and

all of this and it's crazy I usually

have like this dead date right honestly

like we usually have this dead date with

everybody that works with me where we'd

be like look Chris will be doing

meetings and all this stuff until this

date and then we just lock in you know

what I mean but uh doing the book and everything

everything

um it's been cool and getting a chance

to do this is really cool and so when

you lose at something right like one

like group of athletes I've always

thought about is Olympians right like

the Olympics happen once every four

years right and if you trip like in that race

race

that's it yeah you got four years till

you can get ready for it again but see

for us like when we lost last year in

the playoffs you know you feel that

heartache and it hurt and it's like

I can't wait till next year and now

finally next year is here you know so we

got five six days to get ready for our

first game but it's it's nothing like it

yeah in the book you said you think the

game and when I read that that was

interesting to me I've sat down with so

many athletes on the show and behind the

scenes as well but I'd never really

heard anyone say it that way what does

that mean today what does that mean

right now yeah that means

um do you do anything do you like play

cards at all I I used to I mean I used

to play soccer growing up that was my

favorite sport but like even if it's

soccer yeah if it's Connect Four right

like I play dominoes yeah yeah people

play ping pong I play I play any and

everything and in everything you do you

have to have a strategy right whether

it's a card game or anything and you

just have to think different layers you

can always play right just play but if

you can think the game too and so me

like I was up this morning like as soon

as I woke up this morning before I

called my kids I was on YouTube like

looking at Clips like I go to YouTube

and I'll look at

um or I go to this website that'll show

me every shot I've missed or made since

I've been in the NBA

so like I'm literally always watching

trying to learn trying to see how I can

get better so that's what I mean when I

say I think the game wow so you're

literally go on YouTube Type in Chris

Paul misses and then watch and then this

website actually called second Spectrum

okay that you can go do that but I can

go on YouTube and look uh at this

particular game so we're playing a

Clippers in the playoffs right so I can

go look on YouTube they got everything

on there I'm sure everybody know that

too but you can go look at all of my

shots that I played against the Clippers

study the game study who I might be

guarding study your opponent and all

this stuff sewed in in the game of

course talent and all that stuff but at

some point you still gotta be able to

think and sort of everybody has

Tendencies yeah we play 82 games right

there's certain things that guys do on a

regular basis so if I can learn that and

figure that out the better yeah I love

that and I saw that in your book too

it's like it's almost like you're

observing patterns right like there's

all these patterns and that's what

you're saying like there's patterns over

82 games when you start spotting the

patterns it's hard for people to break

them and so they're going to keep

repeating that I can't imagine the

things that you learned and all the

experiences that you've had right but

you know there are certain things that

are a staple for people that that are

successful yes right yeah you know what

I mean like you've got to work hard you

gotta have some type of discipline right

or else

whatever you want to see

come into existence it's just not going

to happen it's like they always say um

what is it I'd rather be lucky than good

or something like that but you you still

gotta have the work ethic to to see it

through yeah what have been your do you

have like a set morning routine on game

days and prep days or do you kind of

intuitively figure it out like what what

are you like are you that disciplined

beast that's just set up to win or do

you feel you know what a good friend of

mine JJ Redick uh he he does a podcast

now he talks he was my teammate but he's

retired now uh earlier this year he was

talking about how sometimes a routine

can drive you nuts right and I sort of

got into that mode because I didn't play

so long I didn't felt like if I don't do

this particular thing I'm not sure

what's gonna happen tonight yeah you

know especially with how many games I've

played like I I I'm serious I used to

have so much anxiety like

oh man if I didn't do this before I run

out on the court got some injury might

happen I mean I used to have this crazy

routine for the past few years like I

would get up I would eat breakfast go to

the gym shoot around might be a 10 I

might get there at 8 15. do all this

stretching workout shoot and go home I

would get Bodywork from like 11 15 11 30

to like one o'clock and then I would lay

down had to be at one get up at three

shower get dressed eat get in the car go

to the game you know it just made for a

long day honestly on a game day it was a

long day and so I stopped doing

necessarily the body work from 11 15 to

1 just to give me some time to live yeah

honestly to just be maybe like watch a

show for a little bit when my kids in

town chill with them or whatnot and it's

actually been like liberating yeah but

for so long you just like I gotta do

this I gotta do that and it'll it'll

drive you nuts yeah and it sounds like

that's the way of it though right like

the the reason you can take that break

now watch that show or catch up with

your kids is because of that investment

you put in for like yeah 15 years 16

years for sure for sure but you also

realize that sometimes you gotta break

up the monotony of that routine or

whatnot just to get yourself a break

yeah that I think that's going to help a

lot of people listening because I think

there's so many people listening right

now who are stuck in their routine and

don't realize how much it'll drive you

crazy especially in what we do now

that's certain things like there's

certain handshakes that's got to happen

like a few things not gonna change right

like uh when they call our name out for

the starting lineups I make sure I dap

up all my teammates then I go to the

little slant board I make sure I put my

foot on that three times I make sure I

get the chalk rub my hands together clap

them together three times hit the back

stanchion I got a lot of routine stuff

that I do I like hit my chest and I look

up and you know say what up to Kobe you

know what I mean and then we do the jump

ball and some of that stuff's not gonna

change but some of the other things or

whatnot you have to look at your

situation and realize

how can you be oh no intentional what

you're doing yeah yeah and do you feel

like all of those things you just

mentioned that aren't going to change

there were things you picked up along

the way because of wins like where did

those originate from yeah so it's funny

it's funny you ask that and being on a

team for

all of my life you know I've been on a

team since I was five years old and so

when you find these little things they

sort of just happen right so you're out

there with your teammates and you come

up with a handshake and then somebody

like accidentally do something and you

like Oh I like that we're gonna keep

doing that we're gonna keep doing that

so all these things just sort of get

added along the way you know what I mean

so like before

before I leave the locker room

I also do uh like a one two three uh and

a bunch of our team trainers they they

yell it with me I do one and they yell

two three you know so that stuff just

sort of picks up and you keep doing it

that's amazing man one of the things

that comes through your book is you talk

so much about hard work confidence you

know seeing your own potential when no

one else sees it being able to bet on

yourself having that confidence

and even today I can tell this but at

the same time without confidence there's this

this

humility in in your book too because you

talk so much about the teachers and the

coaches and the mentors and you talk

about this idea about how no one's

really self-made right and so you have

this great balance between this

confidence and this humility I wonder

what was something that you were

insecure about as a kid was there

anything in your life that you weren't

confident about or things that made you

doubt yourself at all types of things I mean

mean

I was small right well some people would

still say I am you know what I mean in

my profession I'm small yeah in my

profession but

I mean I was a little brother right so I

had my older brother and all his friends

would pick on me you can't do this you

can't do that uh I played football

I mean I was on my AAU basketball team I

think I'll talk about this in the book

and everybody on my team was on Varsity

except for me right and so I was a

little bit slower right than some of the

other guys I mean one of the most

embarrassing things was back then our

team used to run out for warm-ups and

back then like our parents had chance

and all these songs they would sing and

as my teammates we ran out to the court

everyone would run and smack the

backboard right everybody Bop Bop

Everybody smacking the backboard I

couldn't touch the backboard so I would

have to run by the backboard and just

get back in line so I just had this

conversation with my son the other day

because I told my son he's gonna be

vertically challenged just like me and so

one of his biggest goals is to be able

to dunk right so

he asked me when did I dump for the

first time I was a junior I think in

high school when I dunked for the first

time so he was like I'm a dunk before

that I'm a dunk before that and I told

him I'm cool and fine with that but I

also want him to develop the actual

skills of like playing the game I feel

like so many times now kids just want to

be able to dunk instead of learning

actually how to play the game how did

how did you make that difference for

yourself growing up because I feel like

kids are always kids right right you

grew up watching Jordan and you want you

know so yeah I feel like everyone who

grows up watching anyone we all want to

stand that way in the tape right and so

how did you stop yourself as an athlete

when you were coming up to refocus just

as you're encouraging little Chris to do

it was just different and I say

different because

and it may be because of my

circumstances in my situation right and

seeing my grandfather right so I saw how

my grandfather provided for my family in

so many different ways especially

financially and

growing up the way I grew up I always

wanted more like I wanted more not just

like financially but I wanted to see

things and I wanted my family to see

things and

I don't know I've just always been very

competitive and my brother helped make

me that way but I just uh I mean still

to this day like I really don't take

no for an answer right like there's got

to be a way there's got to be a solution

and if you tell me I can't do it then

we're gonna see about it you know and so

it was a drive about it and it was a

drive to just want to be better in the

Curiosity and

I don't know like I said it was almost

subconscious watching my grandfather work

work

right so I played football my coaches

were hard on me you know and I just knew

if I wanted to do something I had to

work yeah that work was just obvious

through your grandfather who just

lived it every day and I'm you know when

you took

the kids back to see the service station

in the space that part of the book is is

really special because you reminded me

so I was

I was nine years old when my dad took me

back to the home he grew up in and my

dad's home was probably as big his home

was as big as this room like cut off

that part as well like none of that

hallway so his whole house was this big

and it was in India where he grew up and

so he took me there and I remember like

walking outside there was a lot of like

trash on the floor there were like rats

running around there were cockroaches

inside this big bat flew on my face like

had my Batman moment like I was like I

was a nine-year-old kid and this bat

flew my face and it was disgusting my

dad put out my eyes and then we went in

this house and it was literally this big

and I remember my dad was telling me how

they shared like a toilet with like 30

families like he grew up in like you

know immense poverty and it was just one

of the best experiences of my life going

there it's nine-year-old so when I was

reading about you taking your kids back

to Grandpa's service station the

spacecraft I was like I know how

formative that's been for me walk us

through what what their reaction was and

yeah your reasoning actually everything

that you just said is so valid and if I

be if I'm gonna be very honest like

when you're a kid

you only know what you know right and so

the times that something was going on

and I seen my grandfather pull that wad

of money out of his pocket

I used to start tripping that's a lot of

money to me to anybody and so like as a

kid you want things I mean when we was

in the car and we went to McDonald's or

something right or say you went to

Wendy's I don't care where you went like

if you went to Wendy's we want the

biggie size fries right like we want the

extra large fries and the extra large

soda we couldn't do that you know what

I'm saying like my parents just wasn't

doing it because we didn't have the the

money to do it and as a kid I watched

movies too did you ever see Richie Rich

yeah of course right you see Richie Rich

you see that movie uh what was it blank

check yeah you know what I mean like as

a kid it's like dang I'm trying to see

what that be like yeah right and so of

course you want things you want uh

things but

the biggest thing that I learned is when

I got to the NBA right and you can get

those things they don't complete you at

all like they don't but what you start

to realize is that with the money and

the finance at times you have an

opportunity to change other people's

lives so that's when the work really

just sets in and it's like all right I

want to keep working because I want to

keep providing and helping others or

whatnot so when it came to my kids

they live a totally different life than

me and my wife ever did right and so

this is so crazy like I'm I'm picturing

these real conversations that I have

with my kids because for me

and my wife like

I wanted something different from my

parents right and the hardest thing is

trying to figure out how to get my kids

motivated because

they can't get me my wife a new house

yeah you know what I mean they just

can't and so it's constantly just making

sure that they have their own motivation

what's going to motivate them so I

wanted them to see why I am the way I am

because sometimes they just see Mom and

Dad or they just see me but they got a

chance to really go see why I get mad if

the trash ain't taken out you know

because growing up I was having to cut

the grass we were having a

uh fold clothes wash clothes do all

these different type things so that's

one of the challenges as a parent of how

do you instill some of these things in

your kids yeah throughout the book you

see just how conscious and intentional

you are about the kids and again I think

there's this healthy balance where like

there's a lot of love for them and you

you get that it's not their fault that

they correct they didn't have that

experience like yeah but at the same

time you want to help them and I think that

that

it's it's such a it's such a hard

balance to do but it sounds like because

you and Jada are taking it so

thoughtfully and intentionally that I

I just see it all the time like the

amount of celebrity kids who also feel

the pressure A to B like their parents

in their field that's already a pressure

second of all there's a feeling which I

don't think a lot of people realize but

there's a lot of feeling of guilt for

kids to be like well I didn't deserve

this or my friends don't have this so

like I didn't do it and then on the

other side which you get is the

entitlement as well so so it's so much

so much to deal with so much that goes

into it man and I think the the only

thing for us

that we've always tried to do is at

least communicate with them and don't

make them guess or try to figure it out

on their own and even though I'm here

somewhat giving advice or whatnot or

talking about my Memoir I'm always

looking for advice some of the people

that I've looked to as mentors or

whatnot most of our conversations have

been on parenting because this thing

don't come with a manual you know it

doesn't and I'm constantly learning

adapting trying to adjust because kids

um for sure will will will like test you

you know and I think it's been the best

test that I've ever had because they

show you how to love unconditionally and uh

it's the it's the it's the best ride

yeah the part in the book that that

really got me was when you're because I

don't have kids yet and me and my wife

have been together for around 10 years

now and we moved from London to New York

to LA and now we live in LA but the last

seven years have been yeah I've been

around and you know in our own way

obviously I'm not moving how you are but

but still kind of that feeling of not

having a home right now we know we live

in L.A and we we're happy there but

I often think about like how my kids

will have a different life to the life I

had even in

so that the person I'm picking out of

your book is when you're leaving La

and you're talking to little Chris about

and he's really upset about it like

because he's made his friends and he's

gonna miss him and and and you can

relate to that as a kid it doesn't

matter who your dad is right it's like

as a kid it's like your friends are

everything you're scared about what it's

going to be like going to a new school I

think that's when you're moving from LA

to Houston yeah and and you're just

you're feeling this discomfort and I

love what you say to him where you're

like I need you yeah and I thought that

was amazing to hear a dad say like I

need you it wasn't like you need to do

this for me or you gotta you know just

just fix up and be be strong and man up

and how did how did you recognize that

that was the conversation and Jay I'm

very visual so even as you're talking to

me like I'm envisioning when it happened

we were in my office in my house in

Calabasas and I'll never forget his face

ever it was tough and like I said I grew

up around the same friends right like me

and my brother got a group chat with our

homies back home that we grew but with

and that is

probably one of the coolest things about

my childhood whereas I know to each his

own some people moved around a lot and

they gave them the ability to uh be

flexible to different cultures and this

and that but it was cool having a home

base and so

when we left and Chris said that it was

hard it was really hard which why which

is why we ultimately made the decision

when we went from Houston to OKC to let

them stay in LA and

it's always going to be hard that's what

you understand is that there's no

perfect life there's no perfect family

because in trying to give them stability

now the last four years I've been

without them you know so I think what

always ends up happening is somebody got

a sacrifice right and if anybody gonna

sacrifice as far as my family go I'm

gonna make sure it's me you know and

that's that's how we got to where we are

now yeah and how do you stay strong in

that time because

I get that too like my wife and I end up

spending a bit of time apart every year

as well because

uh family both of our families are from

London and they live in London and our

niece and nephew are there or sisters

are there so my wife misses family a lot

and her family's like her like fuel

right and so we end up spending quite a

few months apart every year and I wonder

how do you stay strong how do you kind

of like what do you work on to make sure

that you're filled up as well because

like you said it's a sacrifice but at

the same time you have to take you have

to be the one I'm looking for tips and

advice every day I'm telling you it's

yeah it's so hard and I and I tell you I

think the the

the biggest thing that I try to do is

make sure that I'm not a not too

emotional in front of in front of my

kids right because

um my kids are are special like my my

son is

so like thoughtful you know and my

daughter is the same way and

it's so different right my childhood was

my dad was coach and all that my mom was

a teen mom so my parents never missed

anything I think probably one of the

coolest interactions was we played in La

maybe like a week and a half two weeks

ago and my family came to the game and

my kids were standing outside the locker

room and I had no clue they did this but

when a few of my teammates left they saw

my daughter and they was like cam we be

watching your baseball games we'd be

watching your basketball games because

because I can't be there

I'll literally be in the locker room

before a game my iPad is set up my wife

is videoing the game and I'm doing my

stretches and exercises before the game

and anybody is in the locker room they

can hear they can hear my daughter's

game going on so to see uh my wife told

me how much my daughter like she just

lit up knowing you know that I'm I'm not

there physically but I'm always you know

at least watching and trying to when I

can I feel like kids feel that presence

you know I always felt like my parents

didn't have a lot of time for me they

were both immigrants working hard trying

to put food on the table but I always

felt their presence because when I was

with them or when they did see me there

was a real connection there yeah and I

didn't need like eight hours a day ten

hours I didn't have that luxury they

didn't have that luxury but even if it

was for those couple of hours every day

I say that all the time man I'm so aware

and conscious that like kids my my kid

is now 13 and 10. they're very smart

they're very aware that if you was to

get them a gift say you're a big time

person or something you get them a gift

and somebody works for you got them to

give your kids you can't fool them you

know but they would much rather have

that time so when I'm in town or whatnot

if I get a day off and I go home the

best time for me is taking my kids to

school right that 20 25 minute drive to

school and then even the fact that my

daughter still lets me walk her in those

I think are the most priceless moments

because one thing that I learned during quarantine

quarantine

was that was the first year that I lived

away from my family right I was in

Oklahoma and then uh the shutdown

happened and we all went home for a

while and it was just crazy because even

though my kids might be doing their own thing

thing

they felt comfort and I was like on Zoom

trying to set up the bubble right

because I was the union president but

they felt comfort in doing their own

thing but they knew if they looked out

the side of their eye that they could

see me in my office right so just the

awareness you might not necessarily be

right there next to them all the time

but just the fact that they know you're

there yeah yeah well said what's that

and going back to one of your rituals I

was just thinking about this you said

you write can't give up now on your

shoes before you before you got to play

a game and I was I was thinking like

what is that you know 18 years is a long

time to dedicate professionally and then

want to speak of all the prep and and

everything else that goes into it but

what does it feel like to get traded to

feel down and out to feel like it's not

going in the direction you want and then

to can't give up now yeah like I find

that that kind of pivot

for some people it breaks them and for

some people it makes them and for you

any sort of pivots have only taken you

further and further and further for you

to perform and pursue at a higher level

what is that because I think people look

at you and even when I read your book I

was just thinking

you're working really hard at basketball

you're really working hard at your

family you're working out of being a dad

I'm like this guy works hard on every

area of his life like there's not so you

try to you're trying to yeah I respect

that you you don't come across as you're

perfecting it but there's this energy of

like I'm thinking about how I'm raising

my kids and thinking about my relationship

relationship

but then

when the career part is having its

hiccups and slip-ups and whatever else

in the past what did you find when you

get that can't give up now like where

does that come from so I'll tell you

where that came from was when I got

traded from Houston to OKC like to be on

I was mad like really mad because I've

been told one thing and another thing

happened and when I went to Houston I we

moved like 15 people to Houston right so

to not know and to know that I was going

to Oklahoma City I was hot I was in

Augusta Georgia

and I didn't know what that meant

right I didn't know what that meant I

didn't know what was next it was the

first time I've been blindsided with

something like that it's a song by Mary

Mary right it's called Uh can't give up

now because like I said in the book I

grew up in church I was in church four

or five days a week and I remember

listening to that song and like getting

emotional and it was like look the trade

didn't happen ESPN everybody talking

about it or whatnot

I learned this a while ago in the league

is that ain't nobody gonna feel sorry

for you and like you said I've learned

that too in this business that there's

two different type of people

people who gonna feel bad for themselves

and just salt and then there's other

people who gonna get to work and so that

was my that was my mindset it was like

all right I think I'm done all right

cool I got I put my head down and do the

work and so that was

you know my whole energy going into that

yeah how do you differentiate between

what the media is building as a

narrative versus your narrative like how

do you I find like athletes that's what

makes The Athlete's job a million times

harder than even playing the game

because especially now with social media

where there's so much chatter so much

conversation how do you keep your focus

around this is reality and that's just

crazy you said that because I learned

something about myself

um even a few years ago I can't have

that clutter right and when I played

back in La I think I said this in the

book too with the Clippers Doc Rivers he

used to talk about uh getting rid of the

Clutter right so when you get home from

a game if your team lose everybody

that's with your family and all that

what they gonna do

if y'all lost the game what they gonna

say yeah uh it was everybody else's fault

fault

right like if you lose a game and you

get home everybody in your family gonna

they're gonna be like uh this person

wasn't doing that that person wasn't

doing that they ain't never gonna say

nothing about you right and so that's

literally clutter right and the same

thing I've learned years ago in the

playoffs like in the playoffs you got to

win four games out of seven right and I

don't care what anybody says about

social media or whatnot but if you win a

game in the playoffs and you go on the

social media and you had a great game

and everybody talking about you like you

the best thing since pants with pockets

then you might let your guard down right

and the same thing if you don't have a

good game and you go out there and

everybody's talking about how sorry you

are you might lose a little bit of

confidence so for me I try to block out

all of that noise you know what I mean

so that's like when the playoffs start I

don't want to see what ESPN talking

about I don't want to see what bleacher

I want to see what none of them talking

about because you got to just stay

locked in and stay focused and as long

as you know it's true

you know what I mean people are always

going to say something always they're

gonna try to have some type of narrative

or whatnot but as long as you know

what's real I think that's what can help

you keep your sanity yeah and I think

that's one of the hardest skills for

anyone let alone someone who a lot of

people in the world are talking about

like that's

you know I can imagine that affects kids

today I'm sure kids feel at school and

you see that with them at school and see

this is the thing I tell you and I'm not

a parent coach or anything like that I

can only tell you my experience but

what I've learned with social media with

kids right and having a 13 and a 10 year

old is that

when I was growing up if a girl didn't

like you or something like that you

dealt with it at school

right once you went home you didn't have

to deal with it right you you just saw

her at school the next day now with

phones and

social media and all that one thing I

know is that these kids are dealing with

things all day long right it could be on

Snapchat it could be on Instagram or

whatnot and if I us as adults if we

can't handle that mental capacity like I

said I can't handle that like I'm on

Instagram but I'll go weeks without even

looking at it you know what I mean just because

because

I feel like you know with our stories

and stuff like that now we ask people

how they doing we already know what the

hell they didn't did for the last three

weeks you know what I mean so that's

just me yeah yeah there's

I I wanna I wanna shift here because

there's what I found was

really special as someone who was

reading your book and and just again

like I said learning so much about you

it was like you said that your grandpa

you know used to encourage you to listen

to obituaries and when they came on and

you'd it'd tell you more about that

person too like yeah this amazing memories

memories

it was it was weird and kind of strange because

because

okay what no like iPhones where the

alarm went off and he knew to do it it's

like everybody would be working and my

granddaddy would just be like cut on

obituaries and soon as somebody hit the

little radio player the song would be playing

playing

it's like kind of morbid and they would

just start naming off the people who had

died right and I mean everybody out

there working and you might hear Mr

Ulysses or Bo or somebody say oh such

and such died you know they didn't know

and my granddad might start talking

about one of them but because I talk

about my grandmother dying when I was

seven that was my first time you know

being faced with death and then it's

crazy it was a funeral home in our

hometown called Russell's funeral home

like once every like two weeks or

whatnot they would bring their fleet of

cars up to the service station because

they had like a it's crazy to think

about now they had a business account

right with my granddad service station

and so just it was a lot man I that's

why I still don't deal with death well

you know I mean to see the the hearse is

pulling there and oh no it was it was

different yeah it's it's you said that

with your grandmother's passing you were

like I never really got over that like

and I think that's

that's so real for for so many people

but like you said like people often say

like I know how you feel but no one can

know how you feel because they didn't

know that person they didn't know your

connection to them that experience like

you you dealt with that so early on at

seven and like you said you didn't you

never really gotta got over it now when

you look back on it is it something you

even want to get over or is it something

that just stays with you and it's okay I

think it just stays with me because um

I tell you like writing this book was

also like therapeutic because some of

the stuff I never talked about and so

might have been a week or two ago I was

talking to my parents and was just

asking them like I was like Dad I was

like when was the first time you dealt

with death right because my kids are 13

and 10 and they haven't right the only

person I think that they've seen pass away

away

is uh

my my wife's grandmother right and so

obviously the less you have to deal with

that the better but

I mean as soon as I go to a funeral right

right

all those emotions from when I was seven

you know they they come right back they

come right back and it's something about

the closure aspect of it and somebody

not being there anymore I'll tell you

something really cool my dad when I grew

up as a kid videoed everything every one

of my games was VHS all of that my dad uh

found a bunch of those tapes and he had

them converted into DVDs and so recently

maybe like three weeks ago

he sent the DVDs to me he hadn't even

watched him and I put one of the DVDs in

and I was watching it and we used to

have events all the time at this place

up the street from our house and I was

looking at the video and I was like what

is this and I kept watching it for a

while and my granddad walked in it was

actually a video from his 60th birthday

right literally just three weeks ago

came across this wow and uh it was like

emotional watching it and I started

filming some of it because uh I hadn't

heard my granddad's voice and

over 20 years since since he passed away

I took a video of it and I put in our

family group chat my mom called me she

pulled over to the side of the road and

she was crying because you you don't

think about stuff like that you know

what I mean my kids they know the story

of my grandfather they know all of that

but they never heard his voice my wife I

didn't know she had never heard his

voice right so to to have this footage

now and my brother talked wishing him

happy birthday and I'm

anxiously watching I'm like man where am

I where am I because you see everybody

setting up and then you see somebody say

all right everybody be quiet uh he about

to walk in because it was like a

surprise and so when I heard somebody

say that I was like oh I must be

bringing him in to surprise because we

used to be together all the time and

then he walks in and out I don't see

myself and I'm like where am I in this

video and that's my brother's giving his

uh Happy Birthday speech to my granddad

he says if Chris was here he would have

said the same thing

and then I I like just this whole

feeling came over me because I wasn't

there and I called my mom I was like Mom

where was I where where was I and she

was like you had to be at an au

tournament and so it was crazy like I

was getting emotional again because I

was like damn that sort of been a story

of my life it's missing stuff you know

what I mean but it's it's crazy like I

said death and all this stuff you just

you never get over it and you're not

reminded of it until you you face with

it again yeah thank you for sharing that

story man I mean that's like the

who I mean to be to be reminded of being

absent because you're pursuing your

dream but then you know the stuff like

you said sacrifice you said some

something has to be sacrificed but I

can't imagine what it felt like to you

know reconnect back with that memory

through finding an amazing tape but then

right feeling like you're not there at

this time with the book coming out to to

finally see that that was uh that was

really cool and I think I mean I got my

little cousin AJ and takoyu who like 29

and 27 they had never heard AJ had but

they were kids or whatever when he died

so they hadn't heard anything yeah yeah

what what do you think was a lesson

there's so many lessons in the book that

you learned from your grandpa and that

that are you know I think people should

read the book for the to learn the depth

of it but what's the lesson that you

think you carry in your heart the most

that stays with you right now till this

day that you feel lives with you man it

sounds so generic but I say the work

ethic right but it's crazy because I

could sit here and say you gotta work

you gotta work it's the work ethic but

I'll also say it's the balance because

it's the one thing that I also learned

about my family and my mom said this and

I never even thought about this aspect

of it was that my grandfather worked so

hard and I think I said this in the book

that that was all he knew so he never actually

actually

I want to say enjoyed our family but he

never like went on vacation you know

what I mean and I'm not saying you gotta

go to another country or something like

that but just try to make sure that

there's balance and make sure that

course you got to work work work to

provide but make sure at some point you

take some time to enjoy the people

around you and your family because my

mom said that the the one time that my

granddad actually went on vacation was

when my grandmother was about to pass

away and so it wasn't until

he seen that he was going to lose my

grandmother that he was like okay I need

to to do something with her yeah and you

talk about how like he used to finish

work at like 7 A.M to 7 30 and then he

started ending at six yep and he was

saying like for some people that may not

be a big thing but if you're into a

family that was huge that was huge

because all you saw him do his work I

always I always saw him do his work and

when my grandmother died is when

anywhere he went I tried to go with him

I tried to go with him and it's it's

tough man like I

I keep saying my mom is unbelievable because

because

I mean I'll be 38 in a few weeks and I

still got Mom and Dad and it's not till

I got older and I started like I was

like man mom you lost mom

and that you know so I I can't imagine

that yeah yeah and how did they process

it because you say in the book like how

you know we don't always do therapy we

don't always talk about it like have you

helped them with their grief while you

help yours do you find it useful as a

family to connect or is it you know it's

crazy I don't think my parents have read

the book yet I'm so excited for them to

read it I want them to read the book but

I also want them to listen to the

audiobook because I did the audiobook so

they can actually hear my voice and I

think when they read it

they probably gonna learn some stuff

about me that they probably don't know

and I know my my family is extremely

emotional and a lot of times we're all

working we're all on the Move we're all

on the go but uh I think it's gonna be

something cool to talk about once they

read it yeah what do you think is going

to shock them the most and surprise them

the most or or something you think that

they're gonna be maybe even

is there anything that would make the

money easy what do you think I don't

think anything's gonna be uneasy some of

it would probably be funny

because I talk about some of me and my

brothers like childhood growing up my

parents never talking to us about sex

all this different type stuff but uh it's

it's

um it's gonna be real cool and I think

they'll probably I mean I try to tell my

parents how much I appreciate them all

the time but hopefully they get more of

a feeling of that through the book too

yeah do you think you were talking about

the hard work and the balance and it's

such a

it's something that I think all of us

who are ambitious or obsessed with

figuring out right you want to put

everything into the thing you love the

thing you were born to do and at the

same time you realize it's meaningless if

the family the relationship the

friendships aren't there right we always

hear that I'm like no one wants to Be

Lonely at the Top or it is lonely at the

time right and so do you think that that

makes you sacrifice success or do you

think that is success is to be able to

have birth it depends it depends if you

can have both then

that's probably the ultimate goal right

to have both to have that success and

have that balance but the thing that I'm

always battling with right is that 18

years of my life I've been

in the NBA and that is a blessing right

I want to be there I want to be there

for my kids events I want to be a dad

just like my dad was to me because I'm

not where I'm at without my dad sort of

cultivating that and and being there and

then there's this other side of it too

whereas if I was to retire right and

stop playing knowing that I still got a

lot left in the tank and still got the

passion and whatnot

would I be this amazing dad that I want

to be

if I gave up my own passion right so

that's the the hard decision that's the

hard decision that

everyone has to make all the time and I

constantly have those conversations with

my kids and my wife about it and you

know we ultimately sort of decided that

they wouldn't like the person that's at

home if I stopped playing prematurely

yeah that's so real man I think that's

like the

that's that's the biggest realization is

like how if you're not living your purpose

purpose

the person you become is like a figment

like a little tiny piece of who you

really are right and then everyone's

getting that leftover version of you

exactly and so it's it's crazy you just

never know is

you know that time you know you you

won't get that time back it ain't like

you can stop playing and then call the

NBA in four or five years be like yo

pick me back up yeah you know but also

you don't get that time back with the

kids so you it's what we are trying to

figure out yeah if you were in that tape

if you were there at that birthday

what would you have said oh man

I'm sure it's a tape somewhere from one

of those other birthdays but I know I

would have just talked about how my

granddad was my best friend you know and

how I was happy for him to be there and

I probably would have said something

about him not having his teeth in you

know in that video in the video that I

seen of him he didn't have his teeth in

his mouth so as soon as I seen him walk

in and his whole face was closed up I

was like oh where's my granddaddy teeth

at but um I don't know and it was crazy

for me because like I said I'm watching

this video not knowing what it is and

then when I see it's his 60th birthday

knowing that he died literally the next

year at 61. it was uh it was crazy so I

would have definitely just told him you

know how much I love and appreciate him

and probably try to get him to move in

with us again what what do you think's

the lesson that if he was here with us

today that he'd still want you to learn

or something he'd be poking at you at

four or oh man what do you think he'd be

coaching you on right now probably all

the texts that I get my temper

but um I don't know I think the biggest

thing that my granddad would be proud of

if he was still here was just that our

family is still together

you know I mean I think that's the

biggest thing that he'd be proud of

because he had uh he had my mom and he

had my aunt Rhonda right and so

the fact that even in La that's where my

wife and kids lives where my brother

lives that's where my Rhonda's kids AJ

and Coy live like all the holidays we

all still get together even after all

this time and uh I think that's what

he'd be most proud of yeah I mean you

know it's like you're when I'm reading

the book I had the

the bird's eye view note of what had

happened in your experience but then to

read it and to get the the real context

of the depth of your relationship with

your grandpa which then when you read

about what happens you like

you know that that like it gets it gets

you right like it gets me I wasn't close

with my granddad at all

um I never I barely met my dad's dad and

I was never really that close to my

mom's dad and so I didn't I don't have I

can't even say I know how you feel

because I don't even have that context

but I fall close to your relationship

with your granddad because of how you

describe them

and then I mean there's no words to

describe it for it to happen just in the

most tragic way that you could lose

someone you love and the way you find

out the way you rush over there like

yeah that that whole moment when I'm

reading it was like

I can't imagine how tough it is to

relive that

for you as you're writing it out and why

was it

so important to share that piece and why

did it mean so much to you to share that

piece yeah I think it was important for

me to share it just um

selfishly it was for me too you know to

to talk about it and also to show why I

am sort of the way I am and why I'm

wired the way I am

and I don't know keep learning little

things like throughout the book

throughout the process of writing a book

I was having to call and ask like my mom

some questions right like that's how I

found out my granddad's name was uh

chilly like we called him Papa chili but

call my mom luckily my granddad still

has a few siblings that's still alive

and that's why it's so important I ask

our grandparents and things like that

question so we know our history and

oh no I think it was just great for me

um obviously I want a lot of people to

read it but sometimes I was almost in

the book just talking to my family

because even being away from home right

I haven't lived in Winston-Salem in 18

years and that's where all my family is

like you were saying your wife like

London or whatever I grew up around all

my family so in some parts of this

Memoirs me talking to my family back

home that I've been away from from a

long time and just letting them know how

much I appreciate them how much I miss him

him

um through a lot of these experiences

too it's taught me

I really treasure the relationship that

my kids have with my parents and my

wife's parents right because my dad my

mom and dad they are not the same people

that raised me right they are not the

way they be so nice to my kids and you

know my son in the backyard shooting

basketball when he was younger and he

breaking left and right and my mama just

yelling good job baby no that is that is

not what you're supposed to be doing but

there are times when my kids will do

something and I get on them and I see my

dad them like be easy on him and I like

you wasn't easy on me but because of my

grandfather in that relationship I get it

like I get it when my parents would get

mad at me or I get my butt whooped the

first person I called was my granddad so

I'm I'm grateful

for that because those relationships are

really important and I want to make sure

that my kids uh have that bond that I

had too with my granddad yeah yeah for

sure and and that's I'm so happy to hear

that I'm so happy to hear you feel that

your kids have that yes with your

parents and Jada's parents because yes

because when they wake up when my

parents are in town and my kids wake up

in the morning they run in there first

yeah they're running out first and I see

the way that my parents light up and it

seriously like I literally look at my

parents and I think back to my granddad

and how he must have felt yeah

it's it's so crazy what's this 2023 my

dad is 62 now and so when my grand I

mean when my dad turned 61 last year it

was like crazy emotional for me because

I was like man this is how old my

granddad was when I lost them and

it's crazy to see like my dad yeah yeah

absolutely and for them to to have him

in the house and yeah and greatness it's

uh I think the part that really blew my

mind is you saying how you found a way

to have uh empathy and uh you know some

sort of like forgiveness for the four

individuals that assaulted your

grandfather and I think having to relive

it again when the case gets opened up

again and you know you know to deal with

it up until 2021 I think it was like you

know it's like that having to go through

it is the worst thing anyway and then to

have to leave relive it again and for it

to be opened up and for innocence to to

be the topical conversation and for then

again for it to close like but for you

to be in a place where you said it's

taken you a long time but you feel like

there's a certain level of empathy I'm

like that is

I mean walk us through the Journey not

the end because the end is the hard part

but yeah the journey is tough because

in the immediate reaction oh yeah like I

said in the book I had some family

members who was gonna handle it handle

it themselves

but it was uh

I don't know it took a while but then

you start to realize

no matter what happens he's not coming

back right I couldn't get him back and

I don't know if it was just getting

older or the way that I like watch shows

you start learning about the prison

system and all this different type stuff

and you just start realizing that

people make mistakes sometimes bigger

than others but being

incarcerated for that long of a time you

know what I mean if you can show that

you're remorseful and everything that

everything has happened that's

when I definitely think you need a

second chance at this day did you ever

receive any remorse or apology or any

sort of thing from them or that never

happened no no never and what's crazy is

like I said when that case got reopened

that was one of the first times it was

the first time that I actually started

finding out details about the case yeah

because you think about like I said I

was in college and my parents wouldn't

let me go they wouldn't let me go to any

other court hearings or anything like

that and uh over the years I tell you my

aunt Rhonda she the one to be on top of

everything and

it was a few times that I used to ask

her I used to be like Auntie show me

show me what the boys look like

you know and she would like pull up a

picture or whatnot and that was like

hard to even look at because

you start questioning asking why like

hell why would you do this but

as time goes on

you just you just try to heal and that's

that's huge man to to never hear

the apology and remorse and to almost to

accept an apology you never received

in order to rise above I mean that

that's like I mean that's I mean I was

going to ask you what do you think is

the toughest thing you've ever done I'm

like that sounds like the toughest thing

anyone's ever had to do yeah for sure

it's definitely one of them like I said

I think it was the unexpected situation

as far as my granddad and in the book

like I really like detail you know when

traumatic things happen you sort of tend

to remember everything downtown I

remember scuffing my Jordans yeah you

know I mean uh right there by the by the gym

gym and

and

it was crazy it was just a whirlwind how

everything happened that went from the

best day on the 14th seriously like a

movie the 14 signing my letter of intent

to the 15th that happening you start to

realize that

I don't know like I I'm right here

thinking about it yeah I love that when

people when people call you sometimes

now or whatnot like you always hope for

the best but expect the worst you know

when somebody says yo does this happen

you know what I mean even though that

one situation happened it's sort of

almost gets you on edge when it whenever

something happens yeah well well I think

that the book is genuinely like it's a

beautiful dedication to your grandpa

like it is like

I can't imagine anyone in the world who

wouldn't be super proud to be on it in

that way like it's such a beautiful

honoring of a person that you loved and

I've never I don't think I've ever read

a memoir that felt like an honoring of

someone else man I appreciate it I

really mean that it's like I was reading

I was like you you know obviously you

share do you do share so much about

yourself but so much about yourself is

in him for sure and from him and so

you know to to read something where

someone honors like almost offering your

life as an honoring to him is to do that

in a memoir it's very very special it's

like very special how many books have

you written written that too so I'm on

my third yeah oh yeah this is one yeah

and that was that took a while because

like you said I wanted you to be able to

feel like what I was experiencing and

what I was going through and it's cool

it's really cool it's really cool to

hear that you you read it all that sort

of made me nervous when you said that

too because because it's probably not

always going to be um

the best or whatnot but if somebody can

draw any experience from it right any

experience from it and I think then that

was a win yeah and I didn't mean to

scare you I just wanted you to know you

know I just I feel like when I when I

started to dive into you and it I was

just like

I just needed to feel like I had a real

grasp of what you'd gone through to to

honor you in this way as well like sure

when I sit down with someone I feel like

I'm trying to to some degree appreciate

and honor their life because it's my

ability to also capture your you as a human

human

and even even the name like I remember

when the book first came on my desk and

I was trying to figure out like I didn't

get the physical version but the digital

version when it first came to me I was

like oh 61 interesting and I started

diving into everything around it

and what it what did it feel like when

in that game you

you know when you talk about all the

feelings that rush through your head of

like oh that's the record of Jordan at

67 and you know I feel like when you're

in that place so many things are

flashing in between your eyes like we'll just

just

walk us through that it was crazy

because like I said the high school that

we played against was my mom's old high

school Parkland and the most I scored in

the game up to them might have been like

34 or 36.

and I know that when death happens or

things happen for me A lot of times I

get quiet right and a lot of times

that's because I'm just trying to

collect my thoughts or

trying to breathe or I don't necessarily

know what I'm always thinking but I knew

that I wanted to try to honor my

granddad somehow some way and I didn't want

want

everybody to know you know I'm one of

those people that just like try to get

it done right get it done and

when it happened and I had 59 and I

drove and I I scored the 61st point

I think about that was

20 years ago right 20 years ago so

I had I couldn't foresee that I would be

in the NBA all this different type stuff

but um

that was the highlight right and I just

never forget being so tired and

exhausted because emotionally I've been

drained right had literally been drained

and seeing my dad over there on the

bench and my brother what not just made

it that much more emotional and I knew

like right then that all my family was

in town or whatnot and that's something

that would always connect us for the

rest of our lives yeah I think I think

for so many people who went through

something like that 20 years ago

it's easy to for all of us on the

outside to look back now and see

how incredible it is but uh for so many

people that would have been a very valid

reason to give up on their dream or for

it to

not happen because it you know it

derails you and it can derail your life

and that would be completely valid but

to actually look back at it now and go

this career is dedicated to this person

through your lens

it's it's remarkable to think that you

can find the courage to step up again

and go from there yeah I think what's

even crazier for me probably at this

point in my life is that I've actually

been without my grandfather longer than

I was with him right and I never think

about that you sort of just live or

whatnot but there is literally almost

nothing that I can do on a daily basis

that I don't think about him you know

and what's crazy is in the book um

I think I said something about uh one of

his favorite scriptures being

Philippians 4 13 I can do all things

through Christ who strengthens me and

that video I just found when he's

standing up thanking everybody for

coming to

um his birthday thing he says that wow

and he gave me goosebumps he says that

in the video so one thing about it I'm

gonna tell my daddy to keep keep finding

videos because it's uh it's it's really

nice to have yeah and that's not the

watch though that's a different one no

no no this isn't the watch but uh

vasharon right this is a 2-2-2 yeah I

literally got this watch because it

looks looks like the one yeah the way

you describe down it's like yeah yeah

this watch looks like it and I mean I

think I talk about how

strict my parents were growing up there

was no earrings no nothing like this or

whatnot no tattoos or whatnot but last

summer I got this this tattoo right here

which is Chevron logos right yeah uh for

my granddad yeah I love getting to do

this because I even even just sitting

with you right now I'm like I'm thinking

mind I'm so grateful that I came out

today to sit with you to have this

opportunity because

you know it takes a lot of courage to

sit with someone and for them to open up

in this way and obviously you have a

book to do it and I was really fortunate

to have the same experience to sit down

with Kobe in

2019 2019 2019 yeah 2019 it would have

been it was it was literally like two

months before his tragic accident so I

got to interview him and we didn't we

didn't know each other in the same way

we don't know each other but I felt like

there was a real connection it was such

a such a gravitas in such a presence

when he spoke and just his demeanor with

the team and just everything and and

even today like you know I think when

when you talk about not being able to

play with someone but knowing what could

have been but you again even today you

were like you look up and you know honor

him in that way like

how how do you navigate what ifs in your

career I feel like that again as an

athlete is such a skill because there's

so many what-ifs like what if I did that

played it that way played with this but

like you know and so talk us through

that because I think even in life like

that's what your whole book about just

for everyone who's listening

Chris's whole book is about what his

granddad told him off the court which

applies on the court and then on the

court lessons that are play off the

court right and there's this beautiful

Synergy but I think there are so many

people listening and watching right now

who live their life and what ifs yeah

and you've had a lot of what ifs that's

the big one you call out in the book How

do you how do you breathe and live

through that you know what it's 24

chapters in my book you know what I mean

as a tribute to Kobe you know what I

mean and I was actually on the phone with Adam Silver yesterday and I brought

with Adam Silver yesterday and I brought up a Kobe quote talking to him and I

up a Kobe quote talking to him and I actually talked to Vanessa every now and

actually talked to Vanessa every now and then too

then too um that's probably one of the coolest if

um that's probably one of the coolest if not the best award that I've gotten

not the best award that I've gotten since I've been in the NBA was uh uh

since I've been in the NBA was uh uh year before last they started a Kobe and

year before last they started a Kobe and Gigi award and I was able to get the uh

Gigi award and I was able to get the uh the first one that they did and so code

the first one that they did and so code was just different right in the way he

was just different right in the way he approached things but the way we

approached things but the way we competed against each other and I think

competed against each other and I think in the book what I keep talking about

in the book what I keep talking about when you say

when you say um the what ifs right

um the what ifs right I always say if there was one thing that

I always say if there was one thing that I could change in my entire career it

I could change in my entire career it wouldn't be wins and losses it would be

wouldn't be wins and losses it would be how I rehabbed after my very first

how I rehabbed after my very first surgery

surgery right so I had surgery on my Meniscus

right so I had surgery on my Meniscus back in 2009 right and I was so young

back in 2009 right and I was so young 2009 2010 and I was so young at the time

2009 2010 and I was so young at the time that it was like

that it was like all right they did the surgery okay I'm

all right they did the surgery okay I'm gonna be fine right didn't really take

gonna be fine right didn't really take rehab that serious because I was just so

rehab that serious because I was just so young it was like okay they fixed it I'm

young it was like okay they fixed it I'm gonna be fine

gonna be fine um but because of that I've had so many

um but because of that I've had so many different things over my career

different things over my career different hamstring things or whatnot

different hamstring things or whatnot and

and me and my agent was talking about it the

me and my agent was talking about it the other day but sort of the story of my

other day but sort of the story of my career has been the different situations

career has been the different situations that have happened over my career how

that have happened over my career how I've learned from them right so an

I've learned from them right so an injury that I had right it taught me

injury that I had right it taught me something and I was like okay I'm gonna

something and I was like okay I'm gonna figure out how to how this gonna make me

figure out how to how this gonna make me better right I get traded or whatnot

better right I get traded or whatnot okay they feel like I ain't performing

okay they feel like I ain't performing well enough I'm not playing enough games

well enough I'm not playing enough games how is this gonna make me better so

how is this gonna make me better so every time something has happened

every time something has happened right you know I gotta talk about in the

right you know I gotta talk about in the book the craziest thing probably one of

book the craziest thing probably one of the crazy things in my career was that

the crazy things in my career was that injury in Houston when I got hurt and we

injury in Houston when I got hurt and we were

were a game away from going to the NBA finals

a game away from going to the NBA finals and so

and so had that not happen had I not hurt my

had that not happen had I not hurt my hamstring that year and then heard it

hamstring that year and then heard it again the next year I don't think I

again the next year I don't think I still would be playing in the league

still would be playing in the league right now

right now because all of that stuff was a wake-up

because all of that stuff was a wake-up call to me it was like I gotta change

call to me it was like I gotta change something I got to change something I

something I got to change something I got to figure this out and once all that

got to figure this out and once all that stuff happens

stuff happens all right so if you if you if you sit

all right so if you if you if you sit around and I'll tell you this if you sit

around and I'll tell you this if you sit around and dwell on that whatever too

around and dwell on that whatever too long somebody gonna pass you by you know

long somebody gonna pass you by you know so if you sitting over there trying to

so if you sitting over there trying to figure out what if

figure out what if somebody else over here gonna take your

somebody else over here gonna take your job yeah yeah yeah definitely and then

job yeah yeah yeah definitely and then that's and I love that idea if this

that's and I love that idea if this happened what can I do better this

happened what can I do better this happened what can I do better that that

happened what can I do better that that mentality is like continuous Improvement

mentality is like continuous Improvement and rededication as opposed to exactly

and rededication as opposed to exactly instead of what if it might be what's

instead of what if it might be what's next you know what I mean because

next you know what I mean because yeah you can sit back and chill and me

yeah you can sit back and chill and me and Cove every now and then be like man

and Cove every now and then be like man we play together we play together yeah

we play together we play together yeah what not but

what not but everybody can't do it but I can

everybody can't do it but I can compartmentalize that I can talk about

compartmentalize that I can talk about this what if but I'm still you know I

this what if but I'm still you know I still got my eye on what's what what the

still got my eye on what's what what the goal is yeah yeah I think I think a lot

goal is yeah yeah I think I think a lot of us live in what if but we all have to

of us live in what if but we all have to learn to live in what is yeah and then

learn to live in what is yeah and then what's next as you said because that

what's next as you said because that that's what we have yep and and I love

that's what we have yep and and I love hearing it's great but what I appreciate

hearing it's great but what I appreciate is it's a Nuance it's really subtle what

is it's a Nuance it's really subtle what you just said there and I want people to

you just said there and I want people to appreciate it because what you're saying

appreciate it because what you're saying is I can feel this way I can

is I can feel this way I can compartmentalize it and I can move on

compartmentalize it and I can move on and I think that's super healthy because

and I think that's super healthy because I think a lot of us pretend like we

I think a lot of us pretend like we don't have what-ifs right like it's

don't have what-ifs right like it's reasonable and I love what you just well

reasonable and I love what you just well we do injury it's a lot it's very easy

we do injury it's a lot it's very easy to walk around I've got no regrets I

to walk around I've got no regrets I have no what ifs in my life but the

have no what ifs in my life but the truth is we all have them yeah and if

truth is we all have them yeah and if you don't address them they're gonna

you don't address them they're gonna come up somewhere exactly but but you're

come up somewhere exactly but but you're saying no you have it compartmentalize

saying no you have it compartmentalize it and then focus on one next because

it and then focus on one next because you're gonna be sitting around telling

you're gonna be sitting around telling them High School stories or whatnot that

them High School stories or whatnot that don't know about care about no more

don't know about care about no more yeah and that and that happens to all of

yeah and that and that happens to all of us we can all live in Nostalgia and

us we can all live in Nostalgia and right walk down memory lane uh Chris

right walk down memory lane uh Chris this has been such a such an honor to

this has been such a such an honor to sit with you is there something that I

sit with you is there something that I haven't asked you or something that's in

haven't asked you or something that's in your heart and mind right now before I

your heart and mind right now before I have a couple more questions but is

have a couple more questions but is there anything that I haven't asked you

there anything that I haven't asked you or something that's on your heart and

or something that's on your heart and mind right now that you really want to

mind right now that you really want to share that oh you feel I haven't touched

share that oh you feel I haven't touched on no just the the appreciation for this

on no just the the appreciation for this and being able to talk and tell my story

and being able to talk and tell my story through the book and I hope people can

through the book and I hope people can really feel that it was it was really

really feel that it was it was really about that it was about letting people

about that it was about letting people understand and know about me and make

understand and know about me and make sure that people understand that look my

sure that people understand that look my family like anybody else has got their

family like anybody else has got their issues everybody

issues everybody isn't all like loving and all this stuff

isn't all like loving and all this stuff on each other at all times I mean

on each other at all times I mean extended family or whatnot but at the

extended family or whatnot but at the end of the day it's my family you know

end of the day it's my family you know and as long as you you know try to work

and as long as you you know try to work through different things with you and

through different things with you and yours I promise you

yours I promise you um you know you'll appreciate it in

um you know you'll appreciate it in there yeah I love that well Chris we end

there yeah I love that well Chris we end every on-purpose episode with the final

every on-purpose episode with the final five and these ones have to be answered

five and these ones have to be answered in one word to one sentence maximum but

in one word to one sentence maximum but I always change the rules so we'll we'll

I always change the rules so we'll we'll try uh Chris what's the best advice and

try uh Chris what's the best advice and I'm guessing it's gonna be from Grandpa

I'm guessing it's gonna be from Grandpa but what's the best advice you've ever

but what's the best advice you've ever heard or received ah never delay

heard or received ah never delay gratitude I was actually from my college

gratitude I was actually from my college coach good process walk us through that

coach good process walk us through that actually I want to hear more yeah never

actually I want to hear more yeah never delay gratitude and that means you know

delay gratitude and that means you know if you're grateful or thankful for

if you're grateful or thankful for anything be sure and tell people you

anything be sure and tell people you know be sure and tell people like I

know be sure and tell people like I don't care where I'm at what's going on

don't care where I'm at what's going on whenever I get off the phone with my

whenever I get off the phone with my parents my wife my kids or whatnot as

parents my wife my kids or whatnot as always I love you you know those times

always I love you you know those times when you say you're gonna tell somebody

when you say you're gonna tell somebody something in the morning or something

something in the morning or something like that like you just never you

like that like you just never you absolutely never know what's gonna

absolutely never know what's gonna happen so never delay gratitude and that

happen so never delay gratitude and that was a coach you said that to you how did

was a coach you said that to you how did how did that apply to Sport and why how

how did that apply to Sport and why how did why did he introduce because that's

did why did he introduce because that's so interesting to get from a like a

so interesting to get from a like a basketball coach yeah so I talk about

basketball coach yeah so I talk about Coach process a lot yeah of course yes

Coach process a lot yeah of course yes he's he's one of the most three most

he's he's one of the most three most influential men in my life and he just

influential men in my life and he just had all of these sayings right never

had all of these sayings right never delay gratitude if you can't be on time

delay gratitude if you can't be on time be early uh don't be a two to four guy

be early uh don't be a two to four guy be a four to two guy and it was just all

be a four to two guy and it was just all these different things and the reason

these different things and the reason that never delay gratitude thing how it

that never delay gratitude thing how it related to sports was it's hard to win a

related to sports was it's hard to win a game

game right it's hard to win one game let

right it's hard to win one game let alone make it to the playoffs like our

alone make it to the playoffs like our coach the other night when we clinched

coach the other night when we clinched to make it to the playoffs in the locker

to make it to the playoffs in the locker room he just told everybody he said

room he just told everybody he said listen I'm grateful for you guys we

listen I'm grateful for you guys we always talk about gratitude it's a lot

always talk about gratitude it's a lot of teams that's going home and going on

of teams that's going home and going on vacation but you know don't take it for

vacation but you know don't take it for granted that you get a chance to play in

granted that you get a chance to play in the playoffs yeah that's awesome man I

the playoffs yeah that's awesome man I love that I think a lot of young

love that I think a lot of young athletes who are listening or if you

athletes who are listening or if you have kids who are young athletes like

have kids who are young athletes like that's great advice because often that

that's great advice because often that kind of softer touch is is missed like

kind of softer touch is is missed like you don't think it's this yeah but when

you don't think it's this yeah but when I say never delay gratitude I also mean

I say never delay gratitude I also mean for like kids to your parents like when

for like kids to your parents like when I'm at my basketball camps I always make

I'm at my basketball camps I always make all the kids stand up and turn around

all the kids stand up and turn around and tell their parents thanks because

and tell their parents thanks because like I said in the book my dad spent his

like I said in the book my dad spent his entire 401K on me and my brother playing

entire 401K on me and my brother playing tribal basketball so that's where these

tribal basketball so that's where these kids they get to go do all these camps

kids they get to go do all these camps and all this stuff and don't delay

and all this stuff and don't delay gratitude tell your parents thank you

gratitude tell your parents thank you because every kid is not getting that

because every kid is not getting that opportunity yeah actually I want to I

opportunity yeah actually I want to I want to take a side note on that because

want to take a side note on that because one of the things I was blown away by a

one of the things I was blown away by a New Journey is just how much purpose and

New Journey is just how much purpose and giving back and service is such a big

giving back and service is such a big part of how your your foundation the way

part of how your your foundation the way it's set up your when you walk through

it's set up your when you walk through the you know the the murder of and the

the you know the the murder of and the death of George Floyd and black lives

death of George Floyd and black lives matter and then how you're dealing with

matter and then how you're dealing with it in the bubble and of course with your

it in the bubble and of course with your role at the time and you talk about how

role at the time and you talk about how like you changed the messaging three

like you changed the messaging three times I went from peace yeah to to I

times I went from peace yeah to to I forgot what the other one say her name

forgot what the other one say her name yeah I think it was equality equality

yeah I think it was equality equality yeah correct yeah yeah exactly and and

yeah correct yeah yeah exactly and and you shift through it and I was just

you shift through it and I was just thinking like there's just so much

thinking like there's just so much intention in your life with all the work

intention in your life with all the work that you've chosen to do uh what What's

that you've chosen to do uh what What's been kind of like a meaningful fruit or

been kind of like a meaningful fruit or result that you've seen that has really

result that you've seen that has really it's a it's a lot of different things

it's a it's a lot of different things and I'm fortunate to have an amazing

and I'm fortunate to have an amazing team that works with me or whatnot

team that works with me or whatnot because obviously I'm dealing with a lot

because obviously I'm dealing with a lot of different things on a given given day

of different things on a given given day and trying to be the best athlete that I

and trying to be the best athlete that I can be but they're constantly bringing

can be but they're constantly bringing different things uh saying hey would you

different things uh saying hey would you like to support this or could you do

like to support this or could you do this and uh I'm always trying to as much

this and uh I'm always trying to as much as I can and I think the most valuable

as I can and I think the most valuable thing that I have is time so even if

thing that I have is time so even if it's before a game or after a game given

it's before a game or after a game given a young kid an opportunity to watch me

a young kid an opportunity to watch me warm up or taking a picture with him and

warm up or taking a picture with him and just giving them your undivided

just giving them your undivided attention for for five minutes is one of

attention for for five minutes is one of the most valuable things that you can do

the most valuable things that you can do with anybody yeah absolutely and I just

with anybody yeah absolutely and I just I want to read this out because it's so

I want to read this out because it's so it's so powerful so last March Chris was

it's so powerful so last March Chris was the only athlete appointed to President

the only athlete appointed to President Biden's Advisory board on historically

Biden's Advisory board on historically black colleges and universities and and

black colleges and universities and and that's been I mean that that's

that's been I mean that that's incredible that you've become a a

incredible that you've become a a spokesperson and a champion for for that

spokesperson and a champion for for that is there some of the work there that's

is there some of the work there that's resonated or some stories that you think

resonated or some stories that you think oh man

oh man um it's probably so many yeah well we

um it's probably so many yeah well we got a lot of different things what we've

got a lot of different things what we've done is uh me and my brother a few years

done is uh me and my brother a few years ago and then Carmen actually did it too

ago and then Carmen actually did it too we went to this business class at

we went to this business class at Harvard with uh Anita Albers

Harvard with uh Anita Albers um a Benz class business education

um a Benz class business education management Sports I think and

management Sports I think and after going to that class at Harvard we

after going to that class at Harvard we were like why isn't this

were like why isn't this curriculum or course offered at hbcus

curriculum or course offered at hbcus and

and we got to work and Anita helped with it

we got to work and Anita helped with it and now we have that course at a few

and now we have that course at a few different hbcus wow right so just always

different hbcus wow right so just always trying to figure out how we can make

trying to figure out how we can make some type of impact equality again

some type of impact equality again exactly equal action yeah equal access

exactly equal action yeah equal access to education it's incredible I'm glad

to education it's incredible I'm glad I'm glad we went there actually uh

I'm glad we went there actually uh second question what is the worst advice

second question what is the worst advice you've ever heard or received worst

you've ever heard or received worst advice uh that cheese tastes good

advice uh that cheese tastes good cheese is disgusting

cheese is disgusting like seriously I've never had a

like seriously I've never had a cheeseburger macaroni and cheese none of

cheeseburger macaroni and cheese none of that it's disgusting I thought you do my

that it's disgusting I thought you do my cheeses and money

cheeses and money literal yeah yeah literally okay so you

literal yeah yeah literally okay so you don't like cheese at all at all no no

don't like cheese at all at all no no not even on Pizza no no no no I'm cool

not even on Pizza no no no no I'm cool no cheesy fries

no cheesy fries my brother when we used to get home from

my brother when we used to get home from school he used to go in the refrigerator

school he used to go in the refrigerator and get the block achieved what is that

and get the block achieved what is that I don't even know us that string cheese

I don't even know us that string cheese kind of like I think I know what you

kind of like I think I know what you doing yeah I don't know I used to have

doing yeah I don't know I used to have to take plastic off the side yeah I'm

to take plastic off the side yeah I'm doing nothing but put mucus all in his

doing nothing but put mucus all in his body nasty

body nasty also uh question number three how would

also uh question number three how would you define your current purpose you know

you define your current purpose you know basketball and athlete that's that's

basketball and athlete that's that's what I do not necessarily all of who I

what I do not necessarily all of who I am but just just trying to help make a

am but just just trying to help make a difference in in different aspects of

difference in in different aspects of life whether it be hbcus whether it be

life whether it be hbcus whether it be health and wellness I think that's been

health and wellness I think that's been a big thing that I've become passionate

a big thing that I've become passionate about the past four or five years is

about the past four or five years is trying to figure out how to make some of

trying to figure out how to make some of these health things more accessible

these health things more accessible right and make people more aware like

right and make people more aware like I'm always curious about

I'm always curious about this

this um that whatever it may be I'm so

um that whatever it may be I'm so curious about water and the things that

curious about water and the things that people are eating and all these

people are eating and all these different type things and trying to make

different type things and trying to make sure that other people become aware like

sure that other people become aware like I am and the other biggest purpose is

I am and the other biggest purpose is whatever I have to do for my family

whatever I have to do for my family right whatever I have to do do for my

right whatever I have to do do for my family especially my wife and kids is

family especially my wife and kids is just trying to figure out how I can

just trying to figure out how I can continue to pour into them question

continue to pour into them question number four uh what What's your reaction

number four uh what What's your reaction to the title point guard oh man uh the

to the title point guard oh man uh the the point guard thing has been

the point guard thing has been it's crazy I don't even know when it

it's crazy I don't even know when it started I don't even know when I when it

started I don't even know when I when it started but uh it's a privilege right

started but uh it's a privilege right like a honor basically that people see

like a honor basically that people see you playing the game the right way now

you playing the game the right way now it ain't something like worshiping thing

it ain't something like worshiping thing or whatnot but uh I get really like kind

or whatnot but uh I get really like kind of shy and bashful when people say that

of shy and bashful when people say that or whatnot but uh it's it's cool to be

or whatnot but uh it's it's cool to be even in that consideration and playing

even in that consideration and playing for as long as I played still uh Fifth

for as long as I played still uh Fifth and final question if you could create

and final question if you could create we asked this to every guest who's ever

we asked this to every guest who's ever been on the show if you could create one

been on the show if you could create one law that everyone in the world had to

law that everyone in the world had to follow what would it be take your time

follow what would it be take your time no way one law yeah everybody in the

no way one law yeah everybody in the world everyone in the world had to

world everyone in the world had to follow what would it be and take your

follow what would it be and take your time there's no reason oh that is

time there's no reason oh that is everybody got to get them guns up man

everybody got to get them guns up man everybody everybody come turn them in

everybody everybody come turn them in everybody come turn them in everybody so

everybody come turn them in everybody so we got some beef or something like that

we got some beef or something like that or somebody got to do something you got

or somebody got to do something you got to fight it out you got to fight it out

to fight it out you got to fight it out I don't know that was the first thing

I don't know that was the first thing yeah yeah that's awesome thank you Chris

yeah yeah that's awesome thank you Chris Paul everyone Chris incredible Memoir 61

Paul everyone Chris incredible Memoir 61 make sure you don't grab it we're going

make sure you don't grab it we're going to put the link in the comments and the

to put the link in the comments and the captions across the board I wanted to go

captions across the board I wanted to go read this book if you're already a fan

read this book if you're already a fan of Chris you're gonna love it if you're

of Chris you're gonna love it if you're learning about Chris through this you're

learning about Chris through this you're gonna love it even more because it's

gonna love it even more because it's it's truly a remarkable story of love of

it's truly a remarkable story of love of sacrifice of connection of generations

sacrifice of connection of generations passing on beautiful lessons uh you've

passing on beautiful lessons uh you've got like four or five generations in the

got like four or five generations in the book being talked about so I hope you go

book being talked about so I hope you go and grab a copy of 61 Chris Paul it's

and grab a copy of 61 Chris Paul it's been a pleasure and honesty

been a pleasure and honesty you're a real one man this is like this

you're a real one man this is like this has been one of my favorite interviews

has been one of my favorite interviews honestly because you're so present when

honestly because you're so present when I was sitting with your book it felt

I was sitting with your book it felt that way and to sit with you and to

that way and to sit with you and to watch you thinking and to watch you

watch you thinking and to watch you visualize it and to watch you telling it

visualize it and to watch you telling it from memory and then for you to share

from memory and then for you to share that story about finding that tape or

that story about finding that tape or your father finding that tape I mean

your father finding that tape I mean just really grateful man thank you for

just really grateful man thank you for this man I appreciate you Jay thank you

this man I appreciate you Jay thank you thank you thank you man if you love this

thank you thank you man if you love this episode you'll love my interview with

episode you'll love my interview with Kobe Bryant on how to be strategic and

Kobe Bryant on how to be strategic and obsessive to find your purpose our

obsessive to find your purpose our children have become less imaginative

children have become less imaginative about how to problem solve and parents

about how to problem solve and parents and coaches have become more directive

and coaches have become more directive in trying to tell them how they behave

in trying to tell them how they behave versus teaching them how to be

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YouTube Transcript:NBA Star Chris Paul ON: How To Build Resilience & Overcome Societal Pressures

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NBA Star Chris Paul ON: How To Build Resilience & Overcome Societal Pressures