UGA point guard wants to be next Chris Paul

Athens — Georgia’s Dustin Ware has a clear vision of what kind of point guard he hopes to become.

That vision wears No. 3 for the New Orleans Hornets and goes by the nickname “CP3.”

“Chris Paul is definitely my favorite player,” said Ware, a freshman from Powder Springs. “I try to watch anything and everything he does whenever I get a chance. I’d like to pattern my game after him if I can. I try to pick up tips from what he does.”

What’s not to like? Paul, the No. 4 pick in the 2005 draft, was NBA rookie of the year in 2006, and is a two-time NBA all-star and a gold-medal Olympian.

For the time being, Ware will have to settle for being the Bulldogs’ starting point guard. Becoming that was no small feat.

A 5-foot-11 “jet” out of North Cobb Christian School, Ware began the season behind Zac Swansey. But Ware was off the bench by late January and will start his ninth consecutive game when Georgia (10-17, 1-11 SEC) hosts Vanderbilt (16-10, 5-7) tonight.

“I’m definitely getting a lot of great experience,” said Ware, who is averaging 8.6 points in 31.1 minutes per game since becoming the starter. “Obviously I hoped to compete for a starting job just being a competitor. Other than that I just wanted to get some experience and try to get better each game.”

Ware is getting more than that. He is getting twice-weekly lessons as opponents focus their pressure on the freshman.

He has held his own. He’s averaging 6.9 points and 3.2 assists, but those numbers improve to 11.3 points, 4.7 assists with four turnovers in the last three games.

“From the time he came in you knew there’d be a point in his career where he’d start; you just didn’t know how soon,” Terrance Woodbury said. “He’s unbelievably quick. He can get to wherever he wants on the court. Once he knows a little more about playing the game and when and how to use his speed, I feel like he’s going to tear it up. He’s going to be great.”

Maybe then he’ll become known as “DW3.”