Chris Paul Posing with Bar Rafaeli in SI Proves He Has Reached New Level of Fame

Oh, the wonders of playing for a team in a large market.

Chris Paul has posed with model Bar Rafaeli in the recently released Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue and has now officially made it as a celebrity in this nation.

The all-star point guard was universally regarded as one of the NBA’s best while with the New Orleans Hornets for the first six seasons of his career. But that was in NBA circles.

CP3 was never really able to hit the consciousness of mainstream America…until now. Since the big trade which sent him to the Los Angeles Clippers, Paul has attracted a whole new fan base.

Lob City has been one of the big stories in the NBA and one of, if not the most, exciting teams to watch on a nightly basis. With Hollywood right next door, naturally it has become cool to care. There are more eyes on Paul and more people realizing how great of a player he is.

Cycling through the pictures, you can tell Paul is still adjusting to life in front of a camera. He looks a bit skittish and uncomfortable next to the ridiculously good-looking Rafaeli, who was the cover model for the 2009 issue.

It’s okay though, CP3, you’re still learning. Wait a few years and you’ll have no problems posing for photos.

Just ask Kobe Bryant.

From having the weight of the entire Hornets franchise on his shoulders to posing with a cover model that also did shoots with Rafael Nadal and Michael Phelps—what a difference a big market can make.

Now you have a better understanding on why so many of the big names in the sport want to play where the lights shine the brightest.

It’s good to be Chris Paul right now.