What made Commanders guard Chris Paul's rookie skit so memorable originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington
The Commanders’ rookie skits are supposed to be rapid affairs, where the first-year pro briefly entertains the rest of the squad however he so chooses and then exits the stage before overstaying his welcome.
Seventh-round choice Chris Paul didn’t adhere to those unwritten rules.
Instead, before recently performing for Washington, the guard opted to first educate his teammates about music theory.
Yes, Paul — who is an accomplished artist, one who boasts a new music video for one of his singles — attempted to turn the routine into a lecture hall.
“I just felt like it would be remiss of me to not take some time to teach the guys,” he said after Wednesday’s practice. “I wanted it to be a collective experience.”
So, before belting out his rendition of the classic “Lean on Me,” Paul explained “the different kind of keys” to the crowd, beginning with C major (because that’s the original key “Lean on Me” is in) before bringing it down to B-flat major and, ultimately, settling on G.
When asked how those in the room received his presentation, Paul came across as a pleased professor.
“At first, they were a bit apprehensive,” Paul said. “Once you started getting into it, you notice that guys, they find it humorous. At the same time, they were digesting what I was giving out.”
Unfortunately, not everyone agrees with Paul’s assessment.
“I didn’t learn anything,” Brian Robinson Jr., who rapped “a quick verse” for his skit, said rather bluntly.
Was Robinson Jr. entertained? Absolutely. But did he come away with any sort of elevated understanding about music? Absolutely not.
“I laughed the whole entire time,” he said. “Like, just sing.”
According to Paul, his show lasted roughly three minutes. A couple of anonymous sources who were in attendance for Paul’s skit relayed to NBC Sports Washington that Paul’s stint felt longer than that.
Yet while his pre-singing discussion was polarizing, his actual performance apparently slayed.
“Really good voice,” Camaron Cheeseman said of Paul during a Wednesday interview on 106.7 The Fan’s BMitch & Finlay show. “He’s got some vocals, that’s for sure.”
Paul, meanwhile, wasn’t nervous at all when his name was called.
“I’m used to this kind of stuff,” he said. “Audiences don’t really scare me. I love to perform. I’m comfortable doing that.”
At the very least, the 23-year-old’s boldness ought to be appreciated. Hopefully he brings that same kind of fearlessness to the trenches for the club’s offensive line.