<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">[IMGR]http://www.nba.com/media/hornets/Paul_12Jul2006.JPG[/IMGR]Hornets star point guard and NBA 2005-06 Rookie of the Year Chris Paul is in the midst of making his final preparations for next week’s USA Basketball training camp. The 23 members of the USA Senior National Team will train in Las Vegas from July 19-25. After arriving in Las Vegas late Wednesday, Paul worked out at the Thomas & Mack Center on Thursday, before taking in some of the Mavericks-Timberwolves Vegas Summer League game. Hornets.com’s Jim Eichenhofer chatted with Paul in Las Vegas to find out the 6-foot Paul’s thoughts on New Orleans/Oklahoma City’s offseason. Eichenhofer: The Hornets drafted two sought-after players in the first round, including Cedric Simmons, who played for one of your ACC rivals, North Carolina State. Given your Wake Forest background and your opinion of Duke, how would you have treated a rookie from Duke? Paul: Ain’t no telling [grins]. But I can tolerate a guy from N.C. State a lot more than I can someone from Duke. Eichenhofer: What is your impression of the two rookies so far? Paul: Both of them are similar, both big and athletic. They are definitely great rebounders and can change the game. Eichenhofer: What was your reaction when you heard the Hornets were signing Peja Stojakovic? Paul: I was excited. It showed that our team is moving in the right direction and is going to be aggressive about bringing in players. I watched Peja when I was in high school and college. It’s going to be a lot of fun to push the ball up the floor and see him on the wing. Eichenhofer: It’s been widely reported that PJ Brown will be leaving the team. What are your thoughts on his potential departure? You talked frequently last season about how much he helped you and the Hornets’ other young players adjust to the NBA. Paul: PJ was great. He’s a guy I talked to during the entire season. He helped me so much with so many things on and off the court. But I know he’s a guy I can still call and talk to, whether he’s with the Hornets or not. Eichenhofer: Did you get to talk to Speedy Claxton about leaving? It seems like a good fit for him, since Atlanta has been seeking a point guard for several years. Paul: Yeah, we talked about it. I wished he could have stayed, but I know he realizes that this is a business. I think him going to Atlanta is a great opportunity for him to turn that team around. Eichenhofer: Now that Speedy is gone, if someone has to be added to the “Hornets Heroes,” who should it be? And what would their superpower be? Paul: Probably Peja. He’d probably be a sniper (for the Hornets Heroes) or something like that. That’d be his superpower. Eichenhofer: Do you feel like the Hornets are becoming a team that players around the league look at and say, ‘I want to play for those guys’? It seems like the Hornets have become the talk of the league lately. Paul: I think so. We have a great organization and great coaches. I think a lot of players who played against us (last season) saw the style of play – that we’re going to be an up-tempo team and play unselfishly. Eichenhofer: You are an ESPY nominee for best breakthrough athlete. How many times did you go online and vote for yourself? Paul: [grins] I didn’t at all. I don’t even know why. For some reason, during the offseason, I don’t go on the Internet a lot.</div> Source
