I just saw a tweet sent out by a Dallas reporter saying CP3 asked Dennis Smith Jr. to meet up after the game. The reporter was standing at Smith's locker and CP3 calls his phone. Smith shows the reporter his phone picks up and tells CP3 he'll call him back later. I bring this up because the league has changed so much over the years. I grew up in an error when players hated each other and you knew it. I guess everything changes over time, but I kind of miss the days when players weren't trying to be BFF's with their opponents. I think you play with a little more of an edge when you really don't like the guy guarding you. I have no doubt that guys still go hard at each other, but there's nothing like lighting up a guy who you genuinely can't stand. What do y'all think about the new friendlier NBA?
Dennis Smith jr went to CP3 basketball clinic or academy So Dennis is a prodigy of CP3. The better Dennis looks, the better CP3 looks. Brings business to CP3’s clinics if CP3 still wants to do that.
I don't think these guys like each other on the court at all and who plays with more of an edge than Paul? You can separate the two. Mitchell, smith, etc CP is in mentor mode and has been for a minute. I can like you and mentor you off the court and still want to kill you on it
I wonder if the whole team joined Paul in this meet up. You know, since they all love each other now and like to hang out outside of the court.
This is a veteran mentoring a young player on a horrible team, I see no problems with that. I've actually been impressed with the NBA this year, the competitiveness seems like it's gotten a shot of adrenaline. All of Embiid's personal beefs, Rockets-Clippers, Kanter-Lebron, this has been a good year for player feuds.
What the world needs now is hate, sweet hate It's the only thing that we should feel LA What the world needs now is hate, sweet hate, Not just for some but anyone who cheer for Blake
What do you mean? If you had seen instead CP3 bullying a teenager rookie for no reason you would have liked it? Did it affect the competitiveness during the game? Nope. Then what they do off the court is not our business.
To be clear I brought up the CP3 and Smith Jr, meeting as an example. It happens in every game around the league nightly. I don't have a problem with it I just remember a time in the league where most players met up with their teammates off the court and not their opponents. I know I'm old school.
I get very annoyed when I see posts calling me bro. I know it's usual here but it's still annoying to me.
I’m fine with it. NBA vets taking time to be mentors to the younger players, even on different teams, is a good thing. Chris Paul is one of the most competitive players ever. It doesn’t affect his on court play at all. And I don’t know how true it is that players used to just hate each other in the past. There is perhaps more opportunity for socialization and connecting with players on other teams now than in the past, with social media and smartphones and such.
I'm ok with players not caving in an opponents face. The league was violent in the 70's and 80's. What you're describing is a vet PG taking a rookie under his wing. That probably wouldn't have happened before the internet and advanced technology though.
The NBA is a fraternity. You want the days when players hated each other like when Arenas and Crittendon brought guns into the locker room and had a standoff? The stars of today are family men, keep a clean nose, stay out of the tabloids, and don't have a criminal record. They see inequity in the world and have embraced their roles as instruments for social change. They know that it's not a battle between athlete vs athlete but rather an entire group of people--almost entirely poor--fighting against cultural norms they've been saddled with that have perpetuated their subjugation through the generations. It's refreshing to see and I hope they make some strides forward in my lifetime.
