There are certain dynamics in place in the realm of parenting. You would associate a mother with being the warmth and tender love you need. The father figures are generally the ones that push you. There are exceptions when one parent has to switch between roles but this is the dynamic that mostly prevails. It was the same for two great basketball players, Dwyane Wade and Chris Paul who recently had a candid conversation about the roles their dads played in their lives.

Wade, who was inducted into the 2023 Naismith Hall of Fame dedicated his entire speech to his father. The touching words started with a thank you to him, and it ended the same way. The Flash brought his father on stage, he swelled his pride when saying “We in the Hall of Fame dawg,” as he cheerfully hugged his father. The ‘we‘ was because they share the same name.

However, what he was thankful for was ‘tough love.‘ Dwyane Wade Sr. instilled a work ethic in his son that enabled him to be the great basketball player he is. They both shared that one dream, and when it happened, both Wades were on cloud nine.

Recently, the Miami Heat legend called upon his close mate Chris Paul on his podcast. As they discussed life, the ‘Point God‘ spoke about how his father took a similar approach to help him unlock his potential.

Chris Paul doubted his father’s love

As a kid, Paul claimed he excelled in multiple sports. However, coming from a middle-class family with two children, his parents could only afford him prioritizing two sports. He chose football and basketball. His father, Charles Paul was a former athlete. He was also responsible for teaching him and his brother CJ the fundamentals of both sports as they grew up in North Carolina.

Paul’s public affection extends more toward his grandfather, whom he credits immensely for instilling key character traits and life lessons in him. But his father more or less played the same role. Charles Paul wasn’t easygoing on his boys. He pushed them to their core and tried to bring them out to their fullest.

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The approach had CP3 questioning his father’s love.

“Growing up just like anybody I felt like my dad didn’t like me,” Paul shared a laugh with Wade as he said that on his podcast The Why. “It was hard but you get older and you realize it’s out of love. And you know my mom and dad so well. My dad used to always say ‘I ain’t your friend’. Old school with it.”

Now he does the same for his kids.

His father’s influence helped him become the talented basketball player he is. Now, a father himself, Paul revealed he takes the same approach with his kids who live an “abnormal lifestyle” as NBA kids. It’s almost vital for him to show them the harsh realities of the world because they are often shielded from it due to his status.

Moreover, he knows the product of tough love. His elder son Chris Paul Jr has also taken to basketball. So it’s CP3’s turn to be the tough mentor he needs at this stage of his life. He understands that all thanks to his father.

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The hard love and having someone to essentially push you is what gave Chris Paul the drive he has today. It didn’t appear overnight. Charles Paul helped his son realize his dream, even though the methods might have made both his sons hate him briefly.

We might not have had a Chris Paul, the legendary point guard who transcended the position forever if it wasn’t for Charles Paul stretching his son’s capacity.