NBA Pokemon: Chris Paul is Vileplume

Chris Paul is one of the best players in the NBA, and has been for years. So why compare him to Vileplume instead of a Pokemon that is a little more prominent?

For starters, it’s all about technique with Paul. He was never the biggest or most athletic player, but his technique and IQ are both off the charts. Paul’s crossover dribbles don’t work because of a burst of speed like Russell Westbrook or John Wall. They work because he executes them at exactly the right time.

Vileplume is the same way. It isn’t a Pokemon that relies on sheer power for domination. Rather, it will put you to sleep, poison you, or paralyze you before going to work. If Paul and Vileplume tried to win strictly on strength and speed, they would both be defeated easily. Instead, because of their technique, they are forces to be reckoned with at all times.

Paul’s diminutive statue doesn’t get in the way of his success, and neither does Vileplume’s. Plus, Paul went to Wake Forest, which definitely sounds like the ideal college for grass Pokemon.

The thing that ties the two together the most is the frustration of their opponents. The hopelessness and anger felt by opponents of Vileplume are drastically different than the hopelessness and anger felt by opponents of Mewtwo. Mewtwo is like a punch to face, while Vileplume is like a drop of water on the head every second until you go insane.

This fits Paul to a tee. He might be the most frustrating player in the league to play against, because he might not be faster than you or stronger than you, he’s just better than you. His skill set allows him to take advantage of any weakness the opponent might have, just like Vileplume does.

Although it may seem an unlikely comparison at first, Paul and Vileplume are a perfect match. Heck, I’m pretty sure this picture is from when the referee didn’t call continuation on one of Vileplume’s drives.