Twelve-time All-Star guard Chris Paul said Saturday that this will be his final NBA season.
In Charlotte with his Los Angeles Clippers to face the Hornets, the North Carolina native posted a brief message on X, accompanied by a 75-second video that showed career highlights beginning with the night he was selected fourth overall in the 2005 NBA Draft.
“Back in NC!!! What a ride…,” he posted. “Still so much left…GRATEFUL for this last one!!”
The 40-year-old Paul is in his 21st NBA season and ranks second in NBA history in assists with 12,532 and second in steals with 2,727, trailing only Basketball Hall of Fame member John Stockton in both categories. Only 15 players have appeared in more game than Paul’s 1,364.
Paul, then with New Orleans, was named Rookie of the Year in 2006. He is a four-time All-NBA first-team selection, five-time NBA assists champion, six-time steals champion, a member of seven first-team all-defensive teams, and the MVP of the All-Star Game in 2013. He was named to the NBA’s 75th anniversary team in 2021 and won Olympic gold medals with the United States in Beijing in 2008 and London in 2012.
He played with New Orleans for six seasons, then was traded to the Clippers in 2011. He later played for the Houston Rockets (2017-19), Oklahoma City Thunder (2019-20), Phoenix Suns (2020-23) and Golden State Warriors (2023-24).
Last season, he had a resurgent year in San Antonio, providing veteran leadership to a young Spurs team while playing in all 82 games for the first time since 2014-15, averaging 8.8 points and 7.4 assists in 28 minutes.
Paul signed with the Clippers in July and has had a limited role, appearing in just 10 games and averaging 2.5 points and 3.3 assists per game.
He has career averages of 16.9 points, 9.2 assists, 4.4 rebounds and 2.0 steals.
