OKC Thunder: Chris Paul praises teammate ‘I love playing with him man’

Chris Paul rejoices in the OKC Thunder team bond with one player drawing his effusive praise.

When analysts and pundits made preseason picks few had the OKC Thunder reaching the postseason or vying for more than the bottom seed. Likewise, when the club traded superstar Russell Westbrook for Chris Paul many assumed the veteran’s tenure with OKC would be short.-lived

For years pundits ranked Chris Paul among the league’s best as he earned eight All-NBA and nine All-Defensive team honors. Simultaneously, the same media members often referred to Westbrook as a stat hunter although he did earn All-NBA honors eight times and won the MVP the season after Kevin Durant departed.

Following the trade, the Rockets were dubbed title contenders while the Thunder were widely considered lottery-bound. Paul took the worst shade with analysts and bloggers stating his career was on the decline, and Thunder GM Sam Presti would need to attach copious draft picks just to trade him.

OKC Thunder situation was perfect elixir for Chris Paul

But it was the commentary on his character and what type of teammate he was that had to sting. Charles Barkley anointed Paul the best leader in sports. Yet, now that was being called into question and worse — the opposite was being implied. After a confrontation with James Harden during a timeout last season some suggested he alienated teammates and was impossible to please.

Amid this new criticism, Paul arrived in Oklahoma and immediately set about proving this narrative wrong.