OKC Thunder: Chris Paul continues to promotes voting and HBCUs

OKC Thunder captain Chris Paul led a march of 2,500 students to the polls as he combined his passion projects

With the OKC Thunder on their offseason hiatus, captain Chris Paul hasn’t slowed down one iota from keeping the focus on his passion projects. The NBPA president combined the two most important of those this week.  Paul led 2,500 students from Winston-Salem State University on a march to the voting polls.

Paul is committed to promoting Historically Black Colleges and Universities as part of his platform. During the Orlando seeding games and playoffs he wore different hats, clothing and even wrote on his sneakers to promote individual HBCUs. North Carolina is his home state which is why he’s also enrolled in Winston-Salem for courses.

OKC Thunder guard Chris Paul keeps the focus on voting and HBCUs

With the NBA also emphasizing how important it is to vote the march coincides with that effort as the Tuesday march occurred one week prior to the general election for President which takes place November 3rd.

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Another project Paul is involved with tied to the vote is his partnership with friends Dwyane Wade and Carmelo Anthony who created the “Social Change Fund”. One of the initiatives they are sponsoring is a cross-promotion with Lyft and HBCU Heroes offering reduced fares for students on buses from HBCUs to polling locations so they can vote. There are at least 25 HBCUs involved in the project.

Tying into voting, players, franchises and the league, in general, have championed the cause via messages on voter suppression, promoting voter registration and events to get fans out for the vote.  LeBron James is leading the group on an initiative “More Than A Vote”.

Atlanta Hawks head coach Lloyd Pierce coordinated an effort to have State Farm Arena turned into a polling location and subsequently encouraged many other franchises to follow suit.

The NBA is also strongly encouraging Colleges and Universities to give students the day off next Tuesday, November 3rd so students get out to vote.