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NBA Draft: Each team’s greatest draft pick of all-time

By Daniel Lubofsky

MIAMI - NOVEMBER 12: Dwyane Wade #3 of the Miami Heat and LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers take a breather on November 12, 2009 at American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2009 NBAE (Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)
MIAMI - NOVEMBER 12: Dwyane Wade #3 of the Miami Heat and LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers take a breather on November 12, 2009 at American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2009 NBAE (Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Kent Smith/NBAE via Getty Images)
(Photo by Kent Smith/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Greatest draft pick in New Orleans Pelicans history: Chris Paul

Over the course of his six seasons with the New Orleans Hornets, Chris Paul was widely regarded as one of if not the best point guard in the NBA. Even then, it still seems like he was vastly underrated for his all-around play.

CP3 has the reputation of an elite floor general, with a high IQ and access to passing angles only a select few are ever granted. He’s averaged 9.7 assists per game since entering the league, and with just 2.4 turnovers a night as well, it’s clear Paul’s ballhandling and dishing skills were always at an incredibly high level.

His abilities as a scorer, though, are what seem to get passed over quite often. He’s averaged 18.5 points per game over the course of his career, shooting 46.9 percent from the field and 37.0 percent from beyond the arc. Those are respectable numbers, but not at the volume of some of the game’s best. Those numbers appeared more out of necessity than actual ability.

Capable of getting his shot off at any spot in the court, Paul could’ve easily crossed the 20-point plateau on a consistent basis. There were times, whether over the course of a season or stretches within a game, where his mindset was forced to shift to that of a scorer. The reason this wasn’t consistently the case was CP understood his duties as the point guard. It was his job to make sure his teammates were taken care of as well.

Paul was the best player on those Hornets teams by a mile. He could’ve taken as many shots as he wanted without so much as a peep from the organization. But he developed into a master at picking his spots over the course of the game, one New Orleans always turned to within the final minutes.

It’s almost criminal that Paul only qualified for the postseason just three times during his time with NOLA, leading the franchise to its first second-round appearance in 2008. Had he been gifted a supporting star, CP3 would’ve caused a lot of problems for his playoff opponents.

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