Before Paul George would be shipped to the LA Clippers, teaming up with recently acquired
free agent Kawhi Leonard
Before Paul George would become the highest NBA draft pick in Fresno State History
Before Paul George would be on the cover of NBA 2K17
Paul George is a six time NBA all star, five time all NBA team selection and 4 time member
of the NBA all defensive team.
Over the span of his 9 year NBA career, he’s played for the Indiana Pacers, Oklahoma City
Thunder, and soon, the LA Clippers.
After a gruesome leg injury would keep George out for almost the entire 2014-2015 season
that would have many questioning wether or not the all star would ever fully recover,
Paul George was quick to prove the naysayers wrong.
We’re here to tell you guys all about his rise to becoming one of the NBA’s top players,
who covered NBA 2k17, and shocked the NBA world when news broke he’s heading to LA
to team up with Kawhi Leonard, here for you on Before They Were Famous.
What’s going on guys, Jarred Bronstein here and today we’re covering one of the Clipper’s
latest accusations, Paul George here for you on before they were famous.
We’ve done a ton of basketball players, most recently covering some of the top draft
picks from this years past draft.
Be sure to check those out and as always let us know in the comments below who you’d
like to see next.
Today’s trivia question is What 2 schools did Paul George commit to then decommit to
before ultimately going to Fresno State?
Let me know below and I’ll see you after the intro.
Paul Clifton Anthony George was born on May 2nd, 1990 in Palmdale, California.
He is the son of Paul George Sr and Paulette George.
Hm, wonder where he got his name from.
George also has two older sisters, his oldest sister Portala George who graduated from California
State University San Bernardino where she played volleyball and Teiosha George who played
for the Pepperdine University basketball team, where she would eventually graduate.
Paul Sr. would work at a rim shop and as a carpenter while his three kids we’re growing
up.
George’s mother would suffered a stroke when Paul was just 6 years old, due to 2 blood
clots.
While in hospital, she would be declared dead twice before being revived which would eventually
lead to her being a stay at home parent.
George credits his family’s past for his current work ethic, telling bleacher report
“My dad was spending so much time at work to where being a star and making it,”
“that's where the motivation came from.
I want to do it for them.
I want to make life easier on them.”
From a young age, George would have an interest in basketball, playing mostly at the park
or against his older sister, Teiosha.
Although he wouldn’t play organized basketball until his high school days, George would play
a game at the local YMCA, where he would cut his jeans into shorts during his first ever
game, prompting his sisters to laugh at him from the side lines.
He didn’t have a problem with it, he just wanted to play.
Growing up in Palmdale, just an hour north of LA, George would cheer for the Lakers and
Clippers and cites Kobe Bryant, Tracey McGrady and Penny Hardaway as his influences growing
up.
As previously mentioned, Paul’s sister, Teiosha was also a basketball player, which
would have Paul living in his sisters shadow for much of his youth.
Due to the fact that George wouldn’t play organized basketball game before his freshman
year in high school, his sister was his main competition.
This would result in many tears, for a much younger, smaller Paul, who would always have
a hard time beating his sister in their friendly, yet competitive games of one on one.
However all this training would eventually prepare George to play basketball at Knight
High School, for the Knight Hawks.
He would join the varsity team during his sophomore season, but wouldn’t really grow
into a star until his senior year.
Knight’s head coach Tom Hegre remembers George showed up to high school as a 6 ft
lanky kid, but his sister’s reputation gave him potential.
At age 16 George would be playing with his AAU team, shooting hoops with future NBA players
Jrue Holiday and Klay Thompson, which is when recruits really started talking notice of
him.
In his junior year, George would be the only non senior on the team’s starting 5, averaging
14 points and 8 rebounds per game.
Playing with the older kids, George would have a pass first mentality but all of this
would change in his senior year.
George remembers the team held a meeting before the start of the season with his coach asking
if the players had any issues with Paul shooting 20-25 shots per game.
No one objected, with them agreeing in order for the team to win, George should have the
ball in his hands.
In fact, he wasn’t even on ESPN’s top 100 list of high school prospects, which included
the likes of Demar Derozan, Kemba Walker and Draymond Green to name a few.
George would however still be named Golden League MVP, the Antelope Press Player of the
Year, and was also a member of the Daily News 2007–2008 All-Area Boys’ basketball team.
After receiving offers from Fresno State, Pepperdine, San Diego State, SMU, and Wyoming,
and receiving some interest from Georgetown and Penn State, Paul George would accept his
Fresno State offer.
When asked why he chose Fresno, it’s because he wanted to go where he would get to play
and immediately make an impact.
And he did exactly that as you can clearly see here.
In his freshman year, the Bulldogs went 13-21, failing to qualify for the 2009 NCAA tournament,
but George would still lead the WAC in minutes played and finished the season averaging 14.3
points, 6.2 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.7 steals per game on 47.0% shooting from the
field.
In George’s sophomore year, and final year playing college ball, he would be named the
most entertaining player in the West region,
and come in at number 8 on Sport’s Illustrated’s “Top 16 Most Entertaining Players in College
Basketball”.
He would finish playing 29 games, missing 4 due to an ankle sprain, averaging 16.8 points,
3.0 assists, 7.2 rebounds and 2.2 steals per game.
Still this wouldn’t be enough to name George a top 10 projected draft pick.
After announcing his decision to declare for the NBA draft on March 31st, 2010, analysts
and experts predicted he’d be selected 12th overall by the Memphis Grizzly’s.
nbadraft.net said
“His athleticism and ability to run the floor make him dynamic in transition.”
“Rebounds well for a small forward but biggest weakness is his inability to create for himself,”
“and his poor shooting percentage when pulling up off the dribble.”
draftexpress.com pointed out how George is similar to that of a young McGrady, but his
high turnover percentage is the first things that catches the eye when look at his stats.
However before the draft an anonymous scot in the Eastern Conference was quoted saying
“In 5 years Paul George will bet he best player to come out of this draft.”
George would eventually be drafted 10th overall by the Indiana Pacers, behind the likes of
first overall pick John Wall and fifth overall Demarcus Boogie Cousins.
George would be the highest NBA draft pick to come out of Fresno State and would be the
face of the Pacers’ franchise for years to come.
George made his NBA debut on October 27th, 2010 against the San Antonio Spurs, playing
a total of 23 minutes, putting up just 4 points, sinking 1 for 5 buckets.
However he would end his rookie campaign averaging 3.7 rebounds, 1 steal, and 7.8 points per
game.
He would also be only one of two rookies from the 2010 draft to play in the playoffs, the
other being Landry Fields on the New York Knicks.
He was also named to the 2011 All-Rookie second Team.
In his sophomore year, George would have a bit of a slump, but would still average 5.6
rebounds, 12.1 points, and 2.4 assists per game but in his third season, he would be
moved from small forward to shooting guard after Danny Granger would miss almost the
entire season due to injury.
This change in position would lead to George breaking Reggie Miller’s record of having
the most 3 pointers in a game for the franchise, with George totaling 9.
He would also be named to the 2013 NBA all star game and post career highs of 17.4 points,
7.6 rebounds and 4.1 assists.
He would go on to win NBA most improved player and eventually get a contract extension, as
the Pacer’s designated player, signing a 5 year, 90 million dollar contract.
Around this time the young NBA star was reportedly dating LA Clippers current head coach, Doc
River’s daughter, Callie Rivers.
The two would eventually split up after rumours that George hooked up and impregnated Daniela
Rajic, a former dancer who claimed her baby girl, Olivia, was Paul’s daughter.
After a paternity suit and confirmation it was George’s kid, the two agreed to joint
custody and a financial package.
The two would eventually start to see each other on a regular basis and Daniela would
give birth to their second child in February of 2018, Natasha.
Now back to basketball talks.
In 2014 George would be named to the training camp roster for team USA representing the
country at the 2014 FIBA basketball world cup in Spain.
Considered a lock to make the team, many were excited to see George play over seas, but
unfortunately during a scrimmage in Las Vegas with the team, George awkwardly landed on
his foot, suffering a compound fracture of both bones in his right leg.
The video is too gruesome to show but feel free to look it up, warning it is very graphic.
Although many speculated George would be out for the entire 2014-15 season, he would return
to play in the final 6 games of the season.
In George’s comeback season, he would once again help the team reach the playoffs, and
would also make the All Star team with the Eastern conference.
Coming off such a horrible injury, many weren’t sure how or if George could bounce back, but
he came back better than ever.
George would also join the US national team for the 2016 Rio olympics, which they would
go on to win gold.
His next season with the Pacers’ would be his last.
After being swept by Lebron’s Cavaliers, who would eventually make it to the finals,
George would be traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for Victor Olapdo and
Domantas Sabonis in the off season.
Although George only had 1 year left in his contract, and stated how he’d want to go
play for his home town of LA, the Thunder took their chance.
George would go on to make an immediate impact, playing with Russel Westbrook and averaging
just under 22 points per game, 3.3 assists and 2 steals.
Heading into the off season, George was expected to test free agency, or just go to an LA team,
before he announced he would want to stay in Oklahoma.
On July 6th 2018, George resigned with the Thunder on a 4 year, 137 million dollar deal.
In the 2018-2019 season, George would have a career high average of 2.2 steals per game,
and average 28 points per game.
However, on July 6th it was reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski that the Thunder had traded
George to the LA Clippers in exchange for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Danilo Gallinari,
4 unprotected first round picks, one protected first rounder and two pick swaps.
Jeez talk about a blockbuster.
This trade believed to be the reason Kawhi Leonard would end up signing with the Clippers
as well.
Alright guys I’m gonna wrap this one up, but to answer our trivia question, what two
schools did Paul George commit to before decomitting and ending up at Fresno?
George would first verbally commit to Santa Clara, the first school to offer him a sponsorship,
before decommitting after his high school coach recommended he kept his options open.
George would then commit to Pepperdine, where his sister went to school, after attending
Teiosha’s Midnight Madness event.
Halfway through his senior year he would decommit to Pepperdine, after hearing news their basketball
coach had resigned.
Ultimately as you know, he would end up choosing Fresno State.
Now with the Lakers and Clippers as the two favourites to win the NBA title next year,
I want to know who you guys got ? Lebron’s Lakers or Paul’s clippers?
Let me know below.
That’s it for this one, I’m your host Jarred Bronstein, and as always be sure to
let us know in the comments below who you’d like us to cover next.
Be sure to subscribe to us so you never miss a video on your favourite athletes, rappers
and celebrities.
Follow me on social media @bronst7, and feel free to DM me any of your suggestions.
I’ll see you guys in the next one.