NBA players and fans have paid tribute to “Point God” Chris Paul after he announced that he will retire following an illustrious 21-year career.
In a post on X on November 22, the Los Angeles Clippers veteran guard said he will step away after this season, writing, “Back in NC!!! What a ride… Still so much left… GRATEFUL for this last one!!”
His announcement was accompanied by a 75-second video showing career highlights from the 2005 NBA Draft to his rise to basketball stardom.
The post has drawn nearly three million views, 12,000 reposts and 83,000 likes, with many users saying the news marks the end of an era.
Humble beginnings with New Orleans Hornets
Paul began his NBA career with the New Orleans Hornets (now the New Orleans Pelicans), who selected him fourth overall in the 2005 NBA Draft.
The undersized point guard averaged 16 points, five rebounds, eight assists and two steals per game as a rookie, helping the team lift their win total from 18 in 2005 to 38 in the 2006 season.
He went on to win Rookie of the Year, receiving 124 first-place votes and falling just one vote short of a unanimous selection.
Paul played six seasons for the Hornets before being traded to the Los Angeles Clippers in 2011, a move that came after then-NBA Commissioner David Stern vetoed a proposed trade that would have paired him with Kobe Bryant on the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Maestro of ‘Lob City’ Clippers
During his tenure with the Clippers, Paul became the orchestrator of the “Lob City” era, known for his pinpoint alley-oop passes to team-mates Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan.
He later joined the Houston Rockets (2017–19), guiding them to a Western Conference finals appearance, followed by stints with the Oklahoma City Thunder (2019–20) and Phoenix Suns (2020–23).
He led the Suns to the NBA Finals in 2021, his first and only finals appearance, though they lost to the Giannis Antetokounmpo-led Milwaukee Bucks in six games.
In the twilight of his career, he played for the Golden State Warriors (2023–24) and the San Antonio Spurs last season, providing leadership and playing all 82 games for the first time since 2014–15.
Now back with the Clippers, he has appeared in just 10 games in a limited role, averaging 2.5 points and 3.3 assists per game, Rappler reported.
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A Hall of Fame-worthy career
Paul’s two-decade résumé includes ranking second all time in both assists and steals, with totals of 12,545 and 2,727 respectively, trailing only Utah Jazz legend John Stockton, according to ESPN.
His honours also include four All-NBA First Team selections, five assist titles, six steals titles, seven NBA All-Defensive First Team nods and a place on the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team.
Beyond his achievements in the NBA court, he also won two Olympic gold medals with the United States in Beijing in 2008 and London in 2012.
Colleagues, fans salute ‘Point God’
Following his announcement, NBA superstar and longtime friend LeBron James posted a photo of the 40-year-old with his Olympic gold medal, captioning it, “POINT GOD!!! Been a helluva ride.”
Trae Young, Kevin Love and Dwyane Wade also honoured Paul’s remarkable career and impact, praising his leadership and basketball IQ.
Fans across social media called him one of the greatest point guards to play the game and said his influence extends far beyond the stat sheet.
“Point God forever. Appreciate everything you gave to the game. Since 2005, I’ve followed your whole journey across every franchise. I’m really gonna miss seeing you out there, CP,” an Instagram user wrote.
Although he has never won an NBA championship, it does not diminish the legacy he leaves behind.
Fans will surely cherish the final games of the best true point guard of his generation.
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