Kicks

Chris Paul Takes Over San Antonio's DICK'S Sporting Goods

Chris Paul discusses his partnership with DICK's Sporting Goods and favorite footwear.

Pat Benson

Chris Paul and other athletes have teamed up with Dick's Sporting Goods to spread holiday joy.
Chris Paul and other athletes have teamed up with Dick's Sporting Goods to spread holiday joy. / Dick's Sporting Goods
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San Antonio Spurs point guard Chris Paul has become a basketball legend by using his leadership to make others happy. The 12x NBA All-Star is closing in on the second-most assists in league history. But first, Paul is using his platform to spread holiday joy this year.

Last week, DICK'S Sporting Goods launched a Texas-sized holiday celebration with a new campaign featuring sports icons Simone Biles, Dak Prescott, Chris Paul, and Quinn Ewers. 

In the new campaign, produced in partnership with Bolded, OBB Media's recently announced branded content division, these iconic athletes engage in a friendly competition that calls on their decorating skills, not their athletic skills, as they deck out DICK'S Sporting Goods stores in the Texas city they call home and try to earn the title of DICK'S Holiday Decorating Officer.

As part of this campaign, DICK'S Sporting Goods and The DICK'S Sporting Goods Foundation are continuing their commitment to communities through the Sports Matter program.

Each athlete will receive a $100,000 Sports Matter grant to award to a local youth sports organization, or organizations, of their choosing, inspiring and supporting the next generation of athletes. 

As part of the excitement event, Sports Illustrated's Kicks On SI spoke with Paul about his partnership with DICK'S Sporting Goods, decorating skills, and favorite footwear from his iconic signature sneaker line.

What made you want to partner with Dick's Sporting Goods on this event?

"It was a great opportunity to partner with some other great athletes in Texas. Also, anything I can do to help kids involved in sports in the community, I'm always trying to be a part of. And it's around the holidays. And honestly, I'm a huge customer of DICK'S Sporting Goods. My wife would tell you that is the store I probably frequent the most."

What is your inspiration for decorating the store?

"It's crazy after playing for all these teams I've done played, I've moved around quite a lot. I know what I like and what I don't like. That's what made it really fun as far as getting a chance to decorate. Getting a chance to decorate a store to go up against other stores. My favorite thing about my store was the 12-foot basketball tree."

Switching gears to sneakers, you've had countless colorways of your signature line and player-exclusive colorways of Air Jordan models. What is your all-time personal favorite?

"From my line, my favorite shoe is probably the 6s. The 6s I played in during my first or second year out in LA, and I'm a huge Jordan 1 guy. I done got some really dope 11s; I had an emerald pair made when I turned 30 years old. The 1s and 11s are probably my favorite."

Among the younger generation of Jordan Brand athletes, who do you think has the best signature line?

"All of them are different. I've known JT [Jayson Tatum] for a while, and we do a basketball camp together. So, I've had a chance to see the shoes he's in now and the next shoe. So, I really like JT's shoe right now."

What is your hottest sneaker take at the moment?

"I don't know. The most comfortable shoe that I have right now is the Nike Vomero. It's not Jordan, but I wear it walking in and out of practice."

If you played in a Space Jam game to defend Earth, what shoes would you lace up?

"Oh-wee, Space Jam game... I'd definitely wear my 6s. My 6s was dope. I had 3-3-6 on one shoelace and 3-1-0, showing where I came from to where I was. On the bottom of the shoes, it was a map of Louisville and downtown Los Angeles."

Stay locked into Sports Illustrated's Kicks On SI for all your footwear news from the NBA and beyond.

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Pat Benson
PAT BENSON

Pat Benson covers the sneaker industry for Kicks On Sports Illustrated. Previously, he has reported on the NBA, authored "Kobe Bryant's Sneaker History (1996-2020)," and interviewed some of the biggest names in the sports world. You can email him at 1989patbenson@gmail.com.

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