The New Orleans Hornets selected him in the first round (4th selection) of the 2005 NBA Draft on June 28, 2005. He is only the second Canadian player ever drafted in the first round (after Jamal Crawford was picked by the Seattle Supersonics in 2000). Paul played one season at Kentucky before entering the 2005 NBA Draft. In 40 games (39 starts), he averaged 17.1 points, 7.3 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game. He was named to the All-SEC First Team. After his rookie season, he became a starter for the Hornets, helping them reach the 2006 NBA Playoffs. That year, he averaged 19.8 points, 6.0 assists, 4.7 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game. In 2007, Paul led the Hornets to their first playoff appearance since 2002, when they lost in the first round to the Los Angeles Lakers. That year, he averaged 20.8 points, 7.0 assists, 4.9 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game. In 2008, after only playing 33 games due to injuries, he decided to undergo surgery to repair a torn ligament in his right thumb.