CHARLOTTE — Future NBA Hall of Famer Chris Paul revealed last week that he has decided to step away from basketball after a 21-season career that helped define the modern point guard.
A 12-time All-Star who ranks second in league history in assists and steals, Paul announced his decision in a social media post during All-Star weekend in Inglewood, California, at the home arena of the Los Angeles Clippers, where he authored some of his most defining years.
“This is it! After over 21 years I’m stepping away from basketball,” Paul wrote. “As I write this, it’s hard to really know what to feel, but for once — most people would be surprised — I don’t have the answer lol! But, mostly I’m filled with so much joy and gratitude! While this chapter of being an ‘NBA player’ is done, the game of basketball will forever be engrained in the DNA of my life.”
The 40-year-old Winston-Salem native had previously indicated this season would be his last, citing the toll that years away from home had taken on his family.
“This game always gave me a reason to show up,” Paul wrote. “So now with all the gratitude that I could possibly have, it’s time for me to show up for others and in other ways. This last season, I knew I couldn’t do it unless I was at home with my family. Those six years away were a sacrifice for all of us and I knew that had to come to an end. And now I know wholeheartedly the best teammate I can be is to Jada, Chris II and Cam.”
Paul’s final season was disjointed, as he averaged career lows of 2.9 points and 3.3 assists in 14.2 minutes per game and did not play in five straight games in mid-November.
After he returned as a free agent last July, the Clippers parted ways with him in early December as his final NBA appearance came Dec. 1. He was traded to Toronto at the deadline, but the Raptors waived him Friday and never expected him to report, leaving open the possibility he might pursue his first NBA championship elsewhere.
Instead, Paul chose to hang it up.
In 2005, he entered the league as the New Orleans Hornets’ fourth overall pick, quickly establishing himself as an elite floor general. He went on to play for New Orleans, Houston, Oklahoma City, Phoenix, Golden State, San Antonio and the Clippers, spending the last four seasons with four different teams.
Over his career, he accumulated 12,552 assists and 2,728 steals, trailing only John Stockton in both categories. He was the first player to surpass 20,000 points and 10,000 assists, a milestone later reached by LeBron James and Russell Westbrook.
Paul earned 11 All-NBA selections, nine All-Defensive team honors, four All-NBA First Team nods and the 2006 Rookie of the Year award, in addition to two Olympic gold medals and a place on the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team.
He is also one of six players in league history to surpass $400 million in career earnings and one of seven to play at least 21 seasons.
The 2008 U.S. Olympic “Redeem Team,” of which he was a member, was enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as part of the 2025 class.
His tenure with the Clippers from 2011 to 2017 stands as the most successful stretch in franchise history; Paul led Los Angeles to six consecutive winning seasons, the team’s first two Pacific Division titles and three playoff series victories, helping transform the Clippers into a perennial contender.
In a statement, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver praised Paul’s impact on and off the court.
“After 21 remarkable seasons, Chris Paul retires as one of the greatest point guards in NBA history and a true steward of our sport,” Silver said. “From the moment he entered the league, Chris distinguished himself with his savvy playmaking skills, elite competitiveness and intense work ethic. He also poured enormous time and energy into his role as president of the Players Association — offering thoughtful and principled perspectives to strengthen our game and our business.”
Before his professional career, Paul starred at Wake Forest from 2003 to 2005 under coach Skip Prosser. He was the ACC Rookie of the Year in 2004 and the ACC Player of the Year and a consensus first-team All-American in 2005, leading the Demon Deacons to the ACC regular-season title and a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
