HOUSTON — “Now y’all better start out at 300! I know y’all better than that!”



It’s late March, which can only mean two things in the basketball world: The regular season is coming to a close, and the playoffs are less than a fortnight away. Soon, Chris Paul will embark upon yet another playoff grind, desperate for the one thing that’s eluded him throughout his esteemed career — an NBA title. But Paul isn’t sweating in the weight room or getting up shots on the practice court or breaking down Western Conference opponents in the film room. On this night, Paul is tucked away in an underground room of a swanky downtown hotel, surrounded by Houston’s 1 percent.



He is part of a private auction event hosted by teammate Clint Capela in honor of his new charity foundation, CC15. Capela asked Paul to emcee and lead the event, much in the same manner as he has set up his team in the half-court for two years. Paul is...