Chris Paul's famous IQ began early due to his parents' one-household rule

Playing sports came at a high price in the Paul household. There was no room for compromise. Chris Paul, a below-average point guard who played for Wake Forest, was trying to make a name for himself as a kid. Given his size, playing basketball was difficult enough. The school helped by allowing some leeway in school. A C was enough. Paul was unable to take advantage of these benefits.

In Raising Fame, Point God's mother, Robin Paul, spoke about her challenges and experiences raising her NBA son. Both she and Charles Paul worked multiple jobs to provide for their children. Aware of the hardships that could come their way without preparation, they had high expectations for both of their sons. If they wanted to play sports, they had to perform better than what was accepted in school.

“They had to,” Robin was accountable to Dell Curry, who believed that Paul and his brother needed good grades to be able to play the sport they wanted. “Oh, they were good. I mean, they were good because they couldn't play sports without sports. I think in our school system, you had to have a 'C' GPA. In the Paul household, you had to have a 'B' GPA. Because we both had full-time jobs and a part-time job.” she explained.

Chris Paul might have been a great point guard without those standards, but that would have been it. Today, CP3 helps guide his peers through their education thanks to the strict rules his parents imposed on him. He served as president of the NBPA for eight years, making great strides in that role, including negotiating the new 2016 CBA, which gives players higher salaries and a larger share of revenue. In addition, he uses his platform to help the community and raise awareness of important societal issues.

Without the emphasis on excellent education, none of this would have been possible.

The other important personality in Chris Paul’s life

In addition to the unwavering support of his parents, Chris Paul had another important figure in his life: his grandfather, whom he “Papa”. He was a local businessman in North Carolina, but the lessons he taught were invaluable to CP3. Paul learned the importance of hard work and that nothing is given for free, it must be earned, by watching his grandfather work every day.

But he didn't do it just for his grandson. The Wisdom Course was open to everyone. And as CP3 grew up, he understood how these principles positively impacted his life.

“As you get older, you see how much it's appreciated, how many people come by to thank him. I may not have really realized that until I lost him at 17. But it made me want to have his work ethic and help others like he did his whole life.” he told HBR.

Be “Papa” was pivotal in his life. To honor him, Chris Paul showed remarkable maturity and thoughtfulness at just 17 years old. During a high school game, he decided to go crazy and go for a big score. But as he kept racking up more points, he realized he had a chance to accomplish something significant. When he hit a free throw to make it 61, he intentionally neglected to honor his grandfather, who died at that age.

As he walked away, he fell into his father's arms, tears streaming down his face. He was sad, but also at peace because he had given his grandfather the honor he deserved.