No Joke: Beverley beats LeBron, Chris Paul
Go ahead, you can now call Arkansas guard Patrick Beverley a Witness.
Well, actually, it’s the other way around.
Because, get this, he and four other college players beat Cleveland’s LeBron James and the best point guard in the game, New Orleans’ Chris Paul. They didn’t beat them once; they beat them twice during pick-up games in Akron, Ohio.
Gary Parrish of CBSSports.com and Jeff Goodman of FoxSports.com traveled to Akron recently, where the second annual LeBron James Skills Academy was held. About 80 high school athletes and about 20 of the best college players in the nation took part, with a few of the collegiate men getting a shot at taking down a few NBA stars.
And Beverley and crew took down the best, according to Parrish:
The group that gave Team James-Paul the most trouble was comprised of Jonny Flynn (Syracuse), Patrick Beverley (Arkansas), Patrick Christopher (California), Terrence Williams (Louisville) and Jarvis Varnado (Mississippi State). They went 2-2 against Team James-Paul and created memories they seemed to cherish immediately.
Goodman tells us that James and Paul’s team was made up of Cleveland Cavaliers draftee Darnell Jackson, Romeo Travis (a former James high school teammate) and an unknown childhood friend of King James.
Beverley was a vocal leader on the court against James and Paul, Goodman reports:
“God gave you a mouth, so use it,” Beverley said. “It was fun, but at the end of the day, they’re just human. But it was a great experience playing against these guys that you see on TV.”
Don’t think for a second that James and Paul were taking it easy on Team Beverley, Parrish says.
Proof of this came during one of the last games, when James wasn’t just attacking the rim but also complaining to an official about getting fouled on his way. James looked just as intense in this pick-up game as he does during the NBA playoff games and was visibly disgusted every time he lost. It was refreshing, in a way. And when I asked Paul whether it was strange to see James so focused and serious, he shook his head side-to-side and answered simply.
“We always go hard,” Paul said. “Now we just have to figure out how to win more.”
I highly recommend checking out Parrish and Goodman’s articles on the camp if you’re looking for a basketball fix.
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[...] Patsatsia is going to transfer from the Hog Hoop squad. Patrick Beverley impresses King Lebron James and New Orleans’s Chris Paul in a pickup game.Former HogDarian [...]
[...] fun, but at the end of the day, they’re just human,” said Beverly. “But it was a great experience playing against these guys that you see on [...]