Paul Cliftonantho George is an American professional basketball player presently affiliated with the NBA’s Oklahoma City Thunder. (NBA). Small forward is one of the five positions in a regulation basketball contest. Born in California, he was raised in a family that encouraged athletic excellence. As a young man with an interest in basketball, Kobe Bryant was his inspiration. George received his first instruction in the game from his elder sister. In his freshman year of high school, he started playing organized basketball. He played varsity basketball for the remaining three years of high school, followed by two years of collegiate basketball. In 2011, he was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team after being selected with the 10th overall pick by the Indiana Pacers in the 2010 NBA draft. George was named the NBA’s Most Improved Player in 2013 and was selected to the NBA All-Star team four times during his stint with the Pacers. In July 2017, he was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder, where he also made the All-Star team. George was a member of the United States gold-winning basketball team at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
Youth and Early Life
Paul George was born in Palmdale, California, on May 2, 1990. He is the youngest child of Paul George Sr. and Paulette George. His older sisters are named Teiosha and Portola. Their parents fostered an environment that encouraged their participation in athletics. Teiosha was a basketball player at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California, whereas Portala played volleyball at California State University, San Bernardino.
George grew up idolizing Kobe Bryant and rooting for the Los Angeles Lakers and Clippers. Although he has been practicing basketball since he was a child, it was his sister Teiosha who taught him the fundamentals. During his sophomore year at Knight High School, he was the only non-senior student to appear in the starting lineup for the varsity team. By the summer of 2007, he had come to the attention of college recruiters. His coach also recognized his true potential and utilized him in a leading capacity during his senior season.
George had the opportunity to compete alongside future UCLA Bruins Jrue Holiday and Malcolm Lee when he participated in the Amateur Athletic Union’s Pump and Run. (AAU). In 2007, he played a significant role in Knight’s Golden League championship victory and was subsequently named the league’s Most Valuable Player, the Antelope Valley Press Player of the Year, and a member of the Daily News 2007–08 All-Area Boys’ Basketball Team.
George was not a promising prospect for the majority of institutions, despite his credentials and initial interest in him. In fact, he accepted the first scholarship offered to him and verbally committed to attending Santa Clara. Tom Hegre, his high school coach, advised him to wait until he had more options. Prior to enrolling at California State University, Fresno, he attended Pepperdine University for the first half of the semester.
Paul’s College Career
Paul George played for Fresno State for two years. During the 2008-09 season, he started all 34 games in which he appeared. He averaged 14.3 points per game while playing 34.6 minutes per contest. On 18 November 2008, he was dubbed “Player of the Day” for his performance against Saint Mary’s.
Sports Illustrated selected him as the most entertaining player in the West region and the ninth most entertaining player in college basketball at the start of his sophomore season. On January 21, 2010, he suffered an ankle sprain and missed the next four games. By the conclusion of the 2009-10 season, he had started all 29 games in which he participated, averaging 16.8 points per contest. Additionally, George was named to the All-WAC Second Team.
Paul’s Professional Profession
In 2010, Paul George decided not to play his final two seasons of collegiate basketball at Fresno State and instead entered the NBA draft. He was instructed to wait in the green room during the event and was subsequently drafted by the Indiana Pacers with the tenth overall selection. On 1 July, he officially joined the Pacers after signing a $3.9 million, two-year guaranteed rookie contract.
On October 27 against the San Antonio Spurs, he made his debut and tallied four points in 23 minutes of action. By the conclusion of his rookie year in the NBA, he had appeared in 61 games, started 19 of them, and averaged 7.8 points per game.
George started all 66 of his games during the 2011-12 season and averaged 12.1 points per contest. He was selected as a participant in the 2012 NBA All-Star Weekend Slam Dunk Contest and Rising Stars Challenge. When George first entered the NBA, he was a shooting guard. In his third season as a professional basketball player, he was switched to the small forward position.
The 2012-2013 season was his breakout year, establishing him as one of the league’s elite performers. He averaged 17.4 points per game, 7.6 rebounds per game, and 4.1 assists per game in 79 starts and was named the NBA’s Most Improved Player.
The subsequent season was even more successful for him. On September 25, 2013, the Pacers extended his contract and designated him as their designated player. He participated in 80 games and averaged 21.7 points per game. He led his club to their fourth consecutive playoff appearance, where they were ultimately defeated by the Miami Heat. This was the Pacers’ third consecutive playoff loss against the Heat.
George was expected to join the US national team’s training camp roster to prepare for the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Spain. On August 1, 2014, in Las Vegas, he fractured both bones in his right lower leg during a scrimmage with James Harden of the Houston Rockets.
A pin was subsequently inserted into his limb during surgery. Despite initial predictions that he would miss the entire season, he returned for six games at the conclusion of the year, averaging 8.8 points per game. After the 2015-16 season’s opening game against the Toronto Raptors, George publicly criticized the officials and was subsequently fined $10,000.
He appeared in 81 games during the regular season and averaged 23.1 points per game. That season, he appeared in seven postseason games and averaged 27.3 points per contest. This was his first appearance in the postseason since 2014.
His season with the Pacers in 2016-2017 was the best of his NBA tenure to date. During the regular season, he appeared in 75 games and averaged 23.7 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 3.3 assists. He averaged 28.0 points per game, 8.8 rebounds per game, and 7.3 assists per game in four postseason games. That year, he was selected to the NBA All-Star team as well.
George was transferred to the Oklahoma City Thunder on July 6, 2017, in exchange for Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis. His debut season with the team was successful. Even in his new franchise, George started every one of his 79 games and averaged 21.9 points per contest. He led his team to the postseason, where he averaged 24.7 points per game in six games. His performance during that season garnered him a spot on the NBA All-Star team for three consecutive years.
Paul’s Personal Life
Paul George dated Callie Rivers, the daughter of the head coach of the Los Angeles Clippers. After it was disclosed in 2013 that he had fathered a child with Daniela Rajic, an exotic dancer, their relationship ended. There were numerous rumors at the time that George offered Rajic $1 million to terminate the pregnancy. However, in 2014, his representative denied these rumors to the media. A few months later, Rajic filed paternity litigation against George, and it was ultimately determined that George was the father.
Olivia George was born on the 1st of May, 2014. Immediately afterward, her parents engaged in a vicious custody battle. George accused Rajic of neglecting their child, and the presiding judge referred to him as a neglectful parent. In October, after settling on joint custody, George was seen in public with Olivia.
Since then, he allegedly dated Playboy Playmate of the Month for February 2009 Jessica Burciaga. He began a relationship with stylist Destiny Marie Hatcher in December 2016, but it did not last long. In 2017, George eventually reunited with Rajic. Rajic gave birth to their second daughter, whom they named Natasha, on November 1, 2017.
Estimated Net Worth
Paul George is a professional basketball player from the United States with a net worth of $110 million. George, also known as “PG13” by admirers, is a seven-time NBA All-Star who has reached great heights during his playing career. After playing collegiate basketball at Fresno State, the Indiana Pacers selected him in the 2010 NBA Draft.
Trivia
George appeared on an episode of ABC’s “The Bachelor” in 2016.