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Is Chris Paul an Entrepreneur?

Chris Paul has found himself attached to a number of different projects and associations outside of the NBA. While we all know him for his skills on the court – The Point God, his skills off of it have made him a large sum of money. Due to all his success, one question starts to float around in our minds.

Is Chris Paul an Entrepreneur? Yes, Chris Paul has consistently been thought of as an entrepreneur. The veteran NBA point guard has made a number of different investments and partnered up with multiple businesses to help maximize the money he is earning as a top NBA star. He is nearing the end of his career and wants to ensure his family are set up for the future once the multi million dollar pay cheques from his day job stop rolling in.

What type of things has Paul invested in over the years? Does he feature in any commercials and does he run a business himself in his spare time?

Initial Investments and Donations

Chris Paul definitely loves the idea of giving his millions back into the sports world. For example, he donated a record breaking $2.5 million sum to the Wake Forest basketball program in North Carolina. This money was to completely transform locker rooms, treatment areas and other essential facilities at his former college. I think it’s safe to say that the program will never be the same again.

Paul has also invested in baseball, eventually becoming a minority owner for the Winston-Salem Dash. They are an affiliate team of the Chicago White Sox and have had a few excellent MLB players on their roster at one point, including Chris Sale and Wade Boggs.

The next investment that we are going to talk about is the one he made to WTRMLN WTR. From what some reports have said, this company apparently turns watermelon waste into a sports drink. Paul invested an undisclosed amount in the company and is already showing up in 50 different states. It seems like it is really just getting off the ground, so maybe this could be one of his largest investments down the line.

Another popular business that he is involved in is Beyond Meat. He was officially listed as a brand ambassador for the product after he fully switched over to a vegan diet back in 2019, just as the later stages of his career exploded and he was able to reach the NBA Finals for the first time with the Phoenix Suns. This also goes hand in hand with a partnership he recently made with Gopuff. He grouped up with this company in order to expand their selections of plant-based foods and products.

Finally, we have to talk about his investment in Roots Food Group. The Roots Food Group is all about handing out medically tailored meals that are prescribed by doctors to help treat some conditions and diseases. Chris Paul has made a large investment in this company and is joining a growing group of familiar faces who feel the same way about them. Kevin Love is another notable name on their list of investors.

Owned Businesses and Foundations

This is where Paul really takes that next step to becoming a full-blown entrepreneur. He owns a number of businesses and leads some foundations as well. He owns a franchise in the Professional Bowlers Association League. This is also known as the L.A.X league and he bought it because he loved the sport of bowling so much. He has hosted numerous events with his team since taking over. On top of that, he is the owner of the CP3 Foundation. This group spends most of their efforts to try and help out some programs that were impacted by Hurricane Katrina in the state of Louisiana, that massively impacted the area while he was a player there. They also support a number of charities along the way.

The last lead role that we are going to talk about is the fact he was the president of the National Basketball Players Association. He was on the executive committee for four long years before taking the jump to the leader of the group. He has helped the NBA make a number of hugely impactful decisions regarding social issues in the world. It may not be all that beneficial in terms of revenue, but his excellent leadership and decision-making ability just further proves his talents that are the same as an entrepreneur. 

Other Deals

Now we have to talk about the business partnerships that he has made along the way. Obviously, he works hand in hand with the Nike brand, as many players do. The shoe company has helped Paul make even more money throughout his playing career. He is also working with Panini, Tissot, Air Jordan and State Farm. When looking at all of these next to each other, it’s easy to pinpoint State Farm as one of the standout ones. Paul has been a main character in a number of different State Farm commercials over the last few years and they have been wildly popular and recognizable. According to some sources, Paul makes approximately $8 million per year on all of these endorsements combined. Others claim that he is making just under $10 million a year on those same endorsements. Now, those are just the first wave of endorsements that Paul has made. Forbes reported that he earned endorsements for other groups such as Walt Disney, Kaiser Permanente, Tencent, FanDuel and Spalding. It should go without saying but when you come down with so many different endorsements like Paul, you are doing a great job promoting your brand as a person. This is yet another sign of an excellent entrepreneur. Paul knows exactly how to get his name and face out there to the public and it has resulted in tons of work off the court with different companies. He still has some years left in the NBA, but I reckon that we will see him in even more businesses, investments and commercials when he officially retires to focus primarily on life as an entrepreneur.