Clippers Corner: Chris Paul, Jamal Crawford & Brice Johnson
Chris Paul, Jamal Crawford and Brice Johnson headline this week’s Clippers Corner.
Chris Paul
Los Angeles Clippers guard Chris Paul earned the second annual Sports Humanitarian of the Year award from ESPN.
More from Clipperholics
- Grade the trade: Clippers shockingly land Trae Young in wild proposal
- 3 of the most overpaid players on the LA Clippers’ roster
- Trading for this player covers the Clippers’ biggest weakness
- How will the LA Clippers fare in the in-season tournament?
- Why the LA Clippers should steer clear of recent gold medalist waiver
- Through the Chris Paul Family Foundation, Paul and his family dedicate themselves to providing under-privileged children the opportunity to succeed.
- In January 2016, Paul donated a new computer lab to an Elementary School in Portland. Paul made it to the unveil of the computer lab before the shoot around.
- Other Paul charity events include the Chris Paul Celebrity Bowling Invitation, TopSpin Celebrity Ping Pong Tournament, and the Nathaniel Jones Scholarship Fund at Wake Forest.
Jamal Crawford
Although Crawford is from Seattle, he feels as though Los Angeles is his second home, according to Clippers.com’s Rowan Kavnar.
"“I’ve said it the whole time, I wanted to come back here,” Crawford said after making his signing official late last week."
Crawford officially re-signed with the Clippers for three years. The 36-year-old had plenty of options on the open market as the salary cap raised.
"“At the end of the season, you don’t have to move your stuff out,” Crawford said about finding a home with the Clippers. “You know you’ll be here; you know you’re a part of the core. You’ve found a home, so to speak.”"
Related Story: L.A. welcomes home their own free agents
In 12 appearances, Crawford will have played more regular-season games with the Clippers than any team in his 16-year career. Crawford said the Clippers unity separates them from the rest of the league.
"“That’s kind of unusual in this business,” Crawford said. “I’m not saying everything’s perfect or we don’t have our ups and downs or see things from different points of view; but overall, it’s a family.”"
Brice Johnson
North Carolina head coach Roy Williams made an appearance at the NBA Summer League in Orlando, last week, according to the OC Register’s Dan Woike.
Williams made sure to catch one of his favorite players Brice Johnson, who rebounded from a terrible to start to his pro career in the Summer League.
"“He does that all the time,” Williams said about Johnson’s criticism after his poor start. “He wants to play the perfect game. For four years, I was on his case all the time about playing harder, about being more involved, more intensity. And he loves to play. He loves to be successful.”"
Williams also gave advice to Johnson after that terrible game.
"“‘Hey, get after it a little bit today, and just be Brice,’” Williams told Johnson. “‘You don’t have to do anything else. Just be Brice. You were the 25thpick in the first round because you were Brice Johnson. You don’t have to be anyone else.’”"
Johnson will have Williams in his corner during the season too.
"“It’s going to be a long trip all the way to Los Angeles to get to see him play in that first game this year,” he said with a smile."
Next: How will new new rules impact the Clippers?
That is the sort of thing a coach does for one of his favorite players, according to Woike.