Chris Paul is expanding his influence beyond the basketball court with the launch of a new athlete-led sports media company designed to put players and creators closer to the center of sports storytelling.
The venture is being created in partnership with Paul’s Ohh Dip!!! Entertainment, Genius Sports and Connor Schell’s Words + Pictures. Rather than simply giving athletes another platform to appear on, the company plans to build original programming and recurring content franchises around their first-hand understanding of competition, preparation and decision-making.
For Paul, that perspective is the foundation of the project.
“I’ve always believed the people closest to the game have a unique perspective on the details, decisions, and moments that shape it, and now we have an opportunity to bring that perspective directly to fans in new ways.”
That philosophy fits Paul particularly well. Throughout his career, he has been known for his attention to detail and understanding of the game, and the new company is intended to turn that type of insider knowledge into programming that can help viewers see sports through a different lens.
Paul himself will host the venture’s first wave of programming, which is expected to debut in the fourth quarter of 2026. The company also intends to bring in additional athletes and creators as it grows, with content planned for social, digital and other media platforms.
The project will also lean heavily on technology. Genius Sports will provide official sports data, artificial intelligence and other technology intended to enhance the storytelling, while also serving as the company’s exclusive commercialization partner. That means the venture will combine athlete access and personal experience with data-driven analysis and opportunities for sponsorship integration.
Schell and Words + Pictures will oversee the premium production side. Schell has extensive experience in major sports storytelling projects, including work connected to The Last Dance and ESPN’s 30 for 30, giving the new company an established production operation alongside Paul’s athlete-focused vision.
The launch arrives at a time when athletes are increasingly choosing to tell their own stories instead of relying exclusively on traditional media. Podcasts, production companies and direct-to-fan platforms have given players greater control over both their voices and the context surrounding their careers.
Paul’s new venture is attempting to take that concept one step further by building a full media operation around the idea that athletes can do more than provide interviews – they can help shape the programming itself.
For Paul, whose basketball career has long been associated with preparation, leadership and an almost obsessive attention to the details of the game, the move into athlete-driven media feels like a natural extension. The goal is no longer simply to let fans hear from the people playing the game, but to let those people help explain how the game actually works.
