Chris Paul earns bachelor's degree 12 hours after beating Clippers, gives fellow graduates $2,500 each

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Over 17 years after leaving college early to enter the NBA, Chris Paul graduated from Winston-Salem State University Friday.

Paul attended the ceremony in North Carolina less than 12 hours after his Phoenix Suns defeated the Clippers in Los Angeles.

Chris Paul of the Phoenix Suns talks to the media after a game against the LA Clippers Dec. 15, 2022, at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles. (Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images)

Paul graduated with a bachelor's degree in communications, and he had a gift for his fellow graduates.

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The future Hall of Famer gave each graduate $2,500.

"Man, it's cool. I'm excited. Long time coming," Paul said after Thursday's game. "To be able to go back home and do that with my family is something that snuck up kinda quick, but I'm probably most excited that I get to spend the next 10 days with my wife and my kids."

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Paul was born in Winston-Salem, grew up in nearby Lewisville and went to West Forsyth High School in Clemmons. He played college basketball at Wake Forest, located in Winston-Salem, for two years before forgoing his final two years of college eligibility to go pro. He was taken with the fourth overall pick of the 2005 NBA Draft by the New Orleans Hornets. 

Phoenix Suns guard Chris Paul (3) and Dallas Mavericks forward Reggie Bullock, right, react after Paul was called for a foul during the first half of Game 2 of an NBA second-round playoff series May 4, 2022, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York)

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Paul will now shift his focus to the Suns, whose 17-12 record is the fourth-best in the Western Conference.