---
"title": "NBA star, HBCU advocate Chris Paul is a Winston-Salem State graduate"
"description": "NBA star point guard and HBCU advocate Chris Paul graduated on Friday from Winston-Salem State. Paul appeared at the ceremony on Friday morning wearing a red-and-white cap and gown along with matching Nike sneakers. The Phoenix Suns guard received a bachelor’s degree in communications after enrolling in the school in 2020. Paul first attended Wake Forest […]"
"date": "2022-12-16"
"authors":
  -
    "name": "HBCU Sports"
"url": "https://hbcusports.com/2022/12/16/nba-star-hbcu-advocate-chris-paul-is-a-winston-salem-state-graduate/"
"categories":
  - "Basketball"
  - "News"
"tags":
  - "Winston Salem State"
---

# NBA star, HBCU advocate Chris Paul is a Winston-Salem State graduate

NBA star point guard and HBCU advocate [Chris Paul](https://www.si.com/nba/player/chris-paul) graduated on Friday from Winston-Salem State. Paul appeared at the ceremony on Friday morning wearing a red-and-white cap and gown along with matching Nike sneakers. The Phoenix Suns guard received a bachelor’s degree in communications after enrolling in the school in 2020. Paul first attended Wake Forest but left early to enter the NBA draft where he was selected No. 4 overall by the then-New Orleans Hornets in 2005.

> NBA Legend Chris Paul is getting ready to graduate from Winston-Salem State University with a bachelor’s degree in communications 📚🔥[@CP3](https://twitter.com/CP3?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [\#WSSU](https://twitter.com/hashtag/WSSU?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [pic.twitter.com/ZsPnSMD2dy](https://t.co/ZsPnSMD2dy)
>
> — TimeoutSPORTS\_\_ (@TimeoutSPORTS3) [December 16, 2022](https://twitter.com/TimeoutSPORTS3/status/1603760397772791809?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

During his pro career, Paul had been an advocate for HBCUs that involved wearing HBCU gear during the 2020 NBA playoffs, spearheading philanthropic efforts, [creating an apparel line](https://hbcusports.com/2021/10/22/chris-paul-jackson-state-team-up-with-bleacher-report-to-launch-hbcu-apparel-line/), and partnering with North Carolina A&T to establish an internship pipeline. In addition, Paul has also organized multiple [basketball tournaments](https://hbcusports.com/2021/11/23/virginia-union-beats-winston-salem-state-to-win-chris-paul-hbcu-classic/) that feature Black college teams and documentaries about [the Florida A&M football team,](https://hbcusports.com/2021/10/06/famu-football-to-be-featured-in-espn-docu-series-executive-produced-by-nbas-chris-paul/) [North Carolina Central men’s basketball](https://hbcusports.com/2021/02/01/chris-paul-and-stephen-a-smith-team-up-to-document-north-carolina-central-hoops/) team and [Southern University Dancing Dolls](https://hbcusports.com/2022/06/30/chris-paul-to-produce-docuseries-featuring-southern-university-dancing-dolls/).