Chris Paul

U.S.
Basketball

CP3, as the New Orleans Hornets point guard is known, hardly needs a big break. Paul, after all, led the National Basketball Assn. in steals and assists during last season. But a standout performance and a gold medal could catapult him into the stratosphere of hoops superstars, putting the shine back on USA Basketball and making "CP3"—Paul's initials and jersey number—start to sound a lot like "LeBron" and "Kobe." But he'll have to play well enough to steal minutes—and the spotlight—from Phoenix Suns point guard and Olympic starter Steve Nash.