| |
| No. 3 – Golden State Warriors | |
|---|---|
| Position | Guard |
| League | NBA |
| Personal information | |
| Born | May 6 1985 Forsyth County, North Carolina |
| Nationality | American |
| Listed height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) |
| Listed weight | 175 lb (79 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | West Forsyth (Clemmons, North Carolina) |
| College | Wake Forest (2003–2005) |
| NBA Draft | 2005: 1st round, 4th overall pick
Selected by the New Orleans Hornets |
| Playing career | 2005–present |
| Career history | |
| 2005–2011 | New Orleans Hornets |
| 2011–2017 | Los Angeles Clippers |
| 2017–2019 | Houston Rockets |
| 2019–2020 | Oklahoma City Thunder |
| 2020–2023 | Phoenix Suns |
| 2023–present | Golden State Warriors |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Christopher Emmanuel Paul (born May 6, 1985), nicknamed "CP3" and "the Point God", is an American professional basketball player for the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Widely regarded as one of the greatest point guards of all time, Paul has won the NBA Rookie of the Year Award, an NBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player Award, two Olympic gold medals, and led the NBA in assists five times and steals a record six times. He has also been selected to twelve NBA All-Star teams, eleven All-NBA teams, and nine NBA All-Defensive teams. In 2021, he was selected to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team. He also served as the president of the National Basketball Players Association from 2013 to 2021. Among the highest-paid athletes in the world, he holds endorsement deals with companies such as Jordan Brand and State Farm.
Paul was a McDonald's All-American in high school and attended Wake Forest University for two years of college basketball, where he helped the Demon Deacons achieve their first-ever number-one ranking. He was selected as the fourth overall pick in the 2005 NBA draft by the New Orleans Hornets, where he developed into one of the league's best players, finishing second in NBA Most Valuable Player Award voting in 2008.
During the 2011 offseason, the Hornets organized a deal to send Paul to the Los Angeles Lakers, but the transaction was controversially voided by the NBA. He was instead dealt to the Los Angeles Clippers later that year. Led by Paul's playmaking, the Clippers developed a reputation for their fast-paced offense and spectacular alley-oop dunks, earning them the nickname "Lob City". In 2017, he was traded to the Houston Rockets, where he helped the team win a franchise-record 65 games in his debut season. He played one more season in Houston before being traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder as part of a package for Russell Westbrook in 2019. With the Thunder looking to rebuild, he was traded to the Phoenix Suns in 2020, where he reached the NBA Finals for the first time in his career in 2021. The following season, he helped the team win a franchise-record 64 games. After three seasons in Phoenix, Paul was traded away and landed on the Golden State Warriors.
Early Life[]
Paul was born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, to Charles Edward Paul and Robin Jones. He grew up in Lewisville with his older brother, Charles "C.J." Paul. His family gave him the nickname "CP3" because he, his father, and his brother all share the same initials. A former athlete himself, Charles Sr. taught his sons basketball and football and coached them in various youth leagues throughout their childhoods. Growing up, the Paul brothers spent their summers working at a service station owned by their grandfather, Nathanial Jones; Paul attributes many life lessons to his grandfather and has described him as his "best friend".
High school career[]
Paul attended West Forsyth High School in Clemmons, North Carolina.[8] During his freshman and sophomore seasons, he played on the junior varsity team.[9] For his junior year, he averaged 25 points, 5.3 assists, and 4.4 steals per game, helping West Forsyth reach the state semifinals.[10] Over the ensuing summer, he led the Winston-Salem-based Kappa Magic to the National U-17 AAU title, earning tournament MVP honors in the process.[11] During his senior season, Paul received national attention for scoring 61 points in a game; his 61-year-old grandfather was slain earlier in the year and Paul honored him by scoring one point for each year of his life.[8] Paul finished the season with averages of 30.8 points, 5.9 rebounds, 9.5 assists, and 6 steals per game, leading West Forsyth to a 27–3 record and the Class 4A Eastern Regional finals.[10] He was then named a McDonald's All-American, first-team Parade All-American, and North Carolina's Mr. Basketball by The Charlotte Observer.[10]
College career[]
As a freshman at Wake Forest University, Paul averaged 14.8 points, 5.9 assists, and 2.7 steals per game, setting school freshman records for three-point percentage, free throws, free throw percentage, assists, and steals in the process. Behind his play, the Demon Deacons qualified for the NCAA Tournament, losing in the Sweet Sixteen to St. Joseph's. At the conclusion of the season, Paul was named ACC Rookie of the Year and Third Team All-ACC.
For two weeks early in Paul's sophomore season, Wake Forest was ranked number one in the nation for the first time in school history. On January 15, 2005, Paul scored 26 points and 8 assist in a 95–82 victory over North Carolina. On February 3, 2005, Paul scored 23 points in a 92–89 win against Duke. In the final game of the year, Paul punched NC State guard Julius Hodge in the groin and received a one-game suspension for the ACC Tournament, an incident that marred Paul's image for a short time. The Demon Deacons again qualified for the NCAA Tournament but suffered a second round upset at the hands of West Virginia. With final averages of 15.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, 6.6 assists, and 2.4 steals per game, Paul was eventually named First Team Consensus All-America, and with a 3.21 grade point average (GPA), he was also named to ESPN's Academic All-America Team. On April 15, 2005, he announced he would be hiring an agent and turning professional. On March 2, 2011, Wake Forest retired his jersey.
Professional career[]
New Orleans Hornets (2005–2011)[]
Paul attempts a runner in December 2008.
Early seasons (2005–07)[]
Paul was selected fourth overall in the 2005 NBA draft by the New Orleans Hornets. Due to the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina, the Hornets played most of their games in Oklahoma City that year. Paul finished the season leading all rookies in points, assists, steals, and double-doubles, and became only the second rookie in NBA history to lead the league in total steals. With final averages of 16.1 pootmtsoints, 5.1 rebounds, 7.8 assists, and 2.2 steals per game, he was named Rookie of the Year, falling just one vote shy of winning the award unanimously.[21] The only other rookie to receive a first place vote was Deron Williams, with whom Paul enjoyed a brief rivalry early in their careers.
At the 2007 All-Star Weekend, Paul set new Rookie Challenge records with 17 assists and 9 steals. For his sophomore season, he increased his scoring and passing averages to 17.3 points and 8.9 assists per game, but played in only 64 games due to injury.
Rise to stardom (2007–11)[]
Paul was selected to his first NBA All-Star Game in the 2007–08,[22] playing in front of his home fans in New Orleans.[25] Behind his leadership, the Hornets were near the top of the Western Conference standings all year, temporarily occupying first place on March 17 following a win against the Chicago Bulls.[26] New Orleans finished the season with a franchise-record 56 wins and the second seed in the West.[27][28] Paul led the NBA with 11.6 assists and 2.7 steals per game to go along with 21.1 points per game,[22][29] finishing second in NBA Most Valuable Player Award voting and being named to his first All-NBA and All-Defensive teams.[22][30] In his playoff debut, he scored 35 points against the Dallas Mavericks.[31] In Game 2, he set a franchise playoff-record 17 assists.[32] The Hornets defeated the Mavericks in five games, with Paul registering 24 points, 11 rebounds, and 15 assists in the final game.[33] New Orleans were eliminated in the next round by the San Antonio Spurs.[27]
Paul speaks with Hornets coach Byron Scott in March 2009.
Prior to the start of the 2008–09 season, Paul signed a contract extension with the Hornets worth $68 million.[34] On December 17, he set the NBA record for consecutive games with a steal at 106.[35] On several occasions he came within a few steals of recording a quadruple-double, including a 27-point, 10 rebound, 15 assist, and 7 steal game against the Philadelphia 76ers on January 26.[36] His final averages were 22.8 points, 5.5 rebounds, 11 assists, and 2.8 steals per game.[22] Despite Paul's individual accomplishments, New Orleans' record fell from the year before and they were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the Denver Nuggets.[37]
After a slow start to the 2009–10 season, the Hornets fired coach Byron Scott.[38] Paul stirred up controversy when he announced his displeasure with the move, commenting that team management should have "consulted with me and asked how I felt before it happened."[39] In early February, Paul tore cartilage in his left knee and was sidelined for over a month by surgery, forcing him to miss the All-Star Game.[40][41] In total, he played in only 45 games and his averages dropped to 18.7 points, 3.8 rebounds, 10.7 assists, and 2.1 steals per game.[22] Without Paul, the Hornets struggled, missing the playoffs.[42]
Paul had another injury scare on March 6 of the 2010–11 season, suffering a concussion after colliding with Cavalier guard Ramon Sessions and being carried off the court in a stretcher.[43] He returned two games later, registering 33 points and 15 assists against the Sacramento Kings.[44]With Paul playing a full season, the Hornets qualified for the playoffs and were matched up with the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers in the first round.[45] Paul had a "historically great" performance in the series,[46] contributing 33 points, 14 assists, and 4 steals in Game 1 and 27 points, 13 rebounds, and 15 assists in Game 4.[47][48] His final averages were 22 points, 6.7 rebounds, 11.5 assists, and 1.8 steals per game on 54.5 percent shooting.[22] New Orleans were eliminated in six games,[45] and ownership, fearing that Paul would leave the franchise via free agency, began actively pursuing a trade that would provide the team equitable compensation in return for his services.[49]
Playoff contention (2011–2017)[]
Paul with the Clippers in February 2012
Paul's arrival to Los Angeles rejuvenated the Clippers franchise, with teammate Blake Griffin later commenting, "It put us on the map."[56]Early in Paul's debut season, the team developed a reputation for their fast paced offense and spectacular alley-oop dunks,[57] usually from Paul to Griffin or DeAndre Jordan,[58] earning them the nickname "Lob City".[59] Paul finished the year averaging 19.8 points, 9.1 assists, and 2.5 steals per game,[22] becoming the first Clipper to be named to the All-NBA First Team since the franchise moved to Los Angeles in the 1980s.[60] Behind his play and the emergence of Griffin as an All-NBA performer, Los Angeles qualified for the playoffs, losing to the San Antonio Spurs in the Conference Semifinals.[61]
At the 2013 All-Star Game, Paul led the West to victory with a 20-point and 15 assist performance, earning his first All-Star Game MVP Award.[62][63] He finished the season averaging 16.9 points, 9.7 assists, and 2.4 steals per game, helping the Clippers to a franchise-record 56 wins.[22][64] Seeded fourth in the West entering the playoffs, Los Angeles were defeated in the first round by the Memphis Grizzlies.[65] Shortly after their early postseason exit, the Clippers announced they would not renew coach Vinny Del Negro's contract and rumors arose of Paul forcing Del Negro out. Los Angeles later denied any player involvement in the coaching decision.[66][67][68]
Paul in November 2013
Prior to the start of the 2013–14 season, Paul re-signed with the Clippers for five years on a contract worth approximately $107 million.[69] Despite a shoulder injury that sidelined him for over a month,[70] Los Angeles set another new franchise record for wins with 57.[71] His final averages were 19.1 points, 10.7 assists, and 2.5 steals per game.[22] In Game 1 of the second round of the playoffs, he hit a career postseason-high eight three-pointers to help the Clippers take an early series lead over the Oklahoma City Thunder.[72] In Game 5 and with the series tied 2–2, he made a string of late mistakes leading to an eventual Thunder victory, later commenting, "It's me ... Everything that happened at the end is on me."[73] Oklahoma City eventually eliminated Los Angeles in six games.[74]
Paul in November 2013
In 2014–15, Paul played in all 82 games for the first time in his career, averaging 19.1 points and a league-high 10.2 assists per game.[75] In Game 7 of the first round of theplayoffs, he hit a go-ahead shot with a second left to lift the Clippers over the Spurs despite a hamstring injury.[76] The injury forced him to miss the first two games of the next series versus the Houston Rockets, and Los Angeles eventually lost in seven games despite holding a 3–1 series lead.[77][78] The defeat marked ten consecutive seasons and seven consecutive playoff appearances without a Conference Finals appearance for Paul.[79]
In January of the 2015–16 season, Paul led the Clippers on a ten-game winning streak despite missing Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan at various points due to injury.[80] For the third straight year, he finished the season with averages of over 19 points, 10 assists, and 2 steals per game.[22] To begin the postseason, the Clippers drew a matchup with the Portland Trail Blazers, taking a 2–1 lead to start the series. In Game 4, Paul broke his hand and was ruled out indefinitely.[81] Without Paul, as well as Griffin, who also injured himself in Game 4, Los Angeles eventually lost the series in six game
In January of the 2015–16 season, Paul led the Clippers on a ten-game winning streak despite missing Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan at various points due to injury.[80] For the third straight year, he finished the season with averages of over 19 points, 10 assists, and 2 steals per game.[22] To begin the postseason, the Clippers drew a matchup with the Portland Trail Blazers, taking a 2–1 lead to start the series. In Game 4, Paul broke his hand and was ruled out indefinitely.[81] Without Paul, as well as Griffin, who also injured himself in Game 4, Los Angeles eventually lost the series in six games.
In 2016–17, for the first time in his six seasons as a Los Angeles Clipper, Paul was not rewarded with an All-NBA honor, marking just the second time he failed to make an All-NBA team since 2008.[83] He missed 21 regular season games due to injury/rest, and averaged 18.1 points, 9.2 assists, 5.0 rebounds in just over 31 minutes per game. He also averaged 25.3 points, 9.9 assists, 5.0 rebounds during the seven-game postseason series against Utah.
Houston Rockets (2017–2019)[]
On June 28, 2017, Paul was traded to the Houston Rockets in exchange for Patrick Beverley, Sam Dekker, Montrezl Harrell, Darrun Hilliard, DeAndre Liggins, Lou Williams, Kyle Wiltjer, a future first round pick, and cash considerations.[84] In his debut for the Rockets in their season opener on October 17, 2017, Paul had four points on 2-for-9 shooting in a 122–121 win over the Golden State Warriors.[85] Paul sat on the bench down the stretch while the Rockets made their final push, and it was later revealed he was playing through a knee injury.[86] He subsequently missed the next 14 games. He returned to the lineup on November 16 and had 11 points and 10 assists in a 142–116 win over the Phoenix Suns.[87]On December 13, he recorded a then season-high 31 points, 11 assists, and seven rebounds in a 108–96 win over the Charlotte Hornets.[88] Two days later, he had 28 points, eight assists, and seven steals to lead the Rockets to their 12th straight victory, a 124–109 win over the San Antonio Spurs. Paul became the first player in NBA history to post 28 points, eight assists, and seven steals in a game against the Spurs. In the previous 10 years, that stat line had been achieved just 10 times—six of those 10 recorded by Paul.[89] He was subsequently named Western Conference Player of the Week for games played from Monday, December 11 through Sunday, December 17. It was his 13th career Player of the Week honor and his first since January 2016.[90] On January 10, Paul took 29 shots and finished with a then season-high 37 points in a 121–112 win over the Portland Trail Blazers.[91] On January 18, against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Paul earned his 1,958th steal, passing Derek Harper to move into 13th place on the NBA's career steals list.[92] On January 26, he scored a season-high 38 points in a 115–113 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans.[93] On February 3, he recorded 22 points and 11 assists in a 120–88 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers. During the game, Paul passed Andre Miller (8,624) for ninth place on the career assists list.[94] On February 23, in a 120–102 win over the Timberwolves, Paul passed Allen Iverson for 12th on the NBA's career steals list with 1,984.[95] The Rockets finished the regular season as the No. 1 seed for the first time in franchise history, with a franchise-best 65–17 record.
In Game 5 of the Rockets' second-round playoff series against the Jazz, Paul scored a playoff career-high 41 points with eight 3-pointers to reach the conference finals for the first time in his career, helping the Rockets eliminate the Jazz in five games with a 112–102 win. He also had 10 assists and seven rebounds.[96] In Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals, Paul injured his hamstring late in the game as the Rockets went up 3–2 in the series against the Warriors. With Paul out for Games 6 and 7, the Rockets were eliminated from the playoffs with back-to-back losses.[97]
On July 8, 2018, Paul signed a four-year, $160 million maximum contract extension with the Rockets.[98][99] Paul received a two-game suspension early in the 2018–19 season for his involvement in an on-court fight against the Los Angeles Lakers on October 20. Additionally, Paul was fined a total of $491,782 for his role in the fracas.[100] On December 11, he recorded a triple-double with 11 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists in a 111–104 win over the Trail Blazers.[101] On December 20, he suffered a left hamstring strain against the Miami Heat.[102] He subsequently missed 17 games, returning to action on January 27 against the Orlando Magic.[103] On February 23, he recorded 23 points and a season-high 17 assists in a 118–112 win over the Warriors.[104] On March 10 against the Dallas Mavericks, Paul passed Isiah Thomas (9,061) to move into seventh on the NBA's all-time career assists list.
Oklahoma City Thunder (2019–2020)[]
On July 16, 2019, the Houston Rockets traded Paul, 2024 and 2026 first round picks, and 2021 and 2025 second round pick swaps to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for Russell Westbrook. He debuted for the Thunder in a 100–95 loss to the Utah Jazz on October 23, 2019, putting up 22 points and 8 rebounds in 30 minutes of play.[106] On December 16, Paul recorded a near triple-double, posting 30 points, 10 rebounds and 8 assists in a 109–106 win over the Chicago Bulls. He also fell just shy of a triple-double on December 29, as he recorded 25 points, 11 rebounds and 8 assists, in a 98–97 win over the defending champion Toronto Raptors.
On January 30, 2020, Paul was selected to his tenth All-Star nod, and first since 2016, being named a Western Conference reserve. On February 11, Paul scored a season-high 31 points in a 114–106 loss to the San Antonio Spurs.
Phoenix Suns (2020–2023)[]
First Finals appearance (2020–2021)[]
On November 16, 2020, the Thunder traded Paul and Abdel Nader to the Phoenix Suns for Kelly Oubre Jr., Ricky Rubio, Ty Jerome, Jalen Lecque, and a 2022 protected first round pick. On February 1, 2021, Paul dropped a season-high 34 points, along with nine rebounds and nine assists, in a close 109–108 win over the Dallas Mavericks. On February 19, he put up a season-high 19 assists while also scoring 15 points in a 132–114 win over the New Orleans Pelicans. On February 23, Paul was selected to his 11th All-Star appearance, second in a row, as a Western Conference reserve. With Devin Booker being named a replacement All-Star a day later, Paul and Booker were the first Suns duo since Steve Nash and Amar'e Stoudemire in 2010 to be named All-Stars. On March 21, Paul logged his first triple-double of the season with 11 points, 10 rebounds and 13 assists in a 111–94 win over the Los Angeles Lakers, becoming the sixth player in NBA history to record 10,000 career assists.
In Game 2 of the Conference Semifinals against the Denver Nuggets, Paul recorded 17 points, 15 assists, and 0 turnovers in a 123–98 victory. This was Paul's third playoff game with at least 15 points, 15 assists, and 0 turnovers, the most in NBA history. In Game 4, Paul scored 37 points on a 74 percent shooting (14-of-19) alongside seven assists in a 125–118 victory, leading the Suns to a 4–0 series sweep over the Nuggets for their first Western Conference Finals appearance since 2010. On June 16, Paul was indefinitely sidelined as he entered the NBA's COVID-19 health and safety protocols. Paul endured an eight-day isolation after testing positive for COVID-19 despite being vaccinated, which caused him to miss the first two games of the Western Conference Finals. In Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals against the Los Angeles Clippers, Paul tied a playoff career-high 41 points, while putting up eight assists, in a 130–103 victory to close out the series, advancing to the NBA Finals for the first time in his career and the Suns' first appearance since 1993. During the game Paul scored 31 out of his 41 points in the second half, becoming just the third player in the last 25 years to score at least 30 points in the second half of a series-clinching game. In Game 1 of the NBA Finals against the Milwaukee Bucks, Paul put up 32 points, 16 of those in the third quarter, along with nine assists, in a 118–105 win. The Suns jumped to a 2–0 lead in the series before losing in six games. Paul became the first player in NBA playoff history to lose four series in which his team led 2–0. After the Finals ended, he had wrist surgery.
Franchise record in wins (2021–2022)[]
On August 7, 2021, Paul signed a four-year contract extension with the Suns worth up to $120 million. On October 22, Paul recorded 23 points and 14 assists in a 115–105 win over the Los Angeles Lakers, becoming the first player in league history to record 20,000 points and 10,000 assists in their career. On November 2, Paul put up 14 points and 18 assists in a 112–100 win over the New Orleans Pelicans, moving past Mark Jackson and Steve Nash for third place on the NBA all-time career assists list. On December 2, Paul put up 12 points and 12 assists in a 114–103 win over the Detroit Pistons, leading the Suns to their franchise-record 18th win in a row. On January 24, 2022, Paul scored 27 points, grabbed nine rebounds and dished out 14 assists in a 115–109 win against the Utah Jazz. On January 28, Paul logged his 18th career triple-double with 21 points, 10 rebounds, and 14 assists in a 134–124 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves. The following game, Paul had a season-high 19 assists with 20 points and eight rebounds in a 115–110 win against the San Antonio Spurs.
On February 3, Paul recorded 18 points, 12 assists, and three steals in a 124–115 loss to the Atlanta Hawks who snapped Phoenix's 11-game winning streak. This was Paul's 50th career game with 10 assists or more with no turnovers—the most such games in NBA history. Before the game, he was named a reserve for the 2022 NBA All-Star Game. On February 10, Paul tied his season-high 19 assists with 17 points and seven rebounds as he led the Suns to a 131–107 victory against the Bucks in a rematch of last year's NBA Finals. Paul finished with his 500th career double-double. He is just the fourth guard in NBA history to accomplish that feat. On February 16, Paul broke his right thumb in a game against the Houston Rockets, just before the All-Star break. On March 24, Paul returned from a broken right wrist to help the Suns wrap up the top seed in the NBA playoffs with a 140–130 victory over the Denver Nuggets. He finished the game with 17 points and 13 assists. On April 1, Paul surpassed Gary Payton for fourth on the NBA all-time career steals list. On April 5, after a Phoenix’s 121–110 win over the Lakers, Paul became the first player in NBA history to be part of four teams to set a franchise record for victories in a single season.
In Game 1 of the first round of the playoffs, Paul scored 19 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter along with seven rebounds, 10 assists, and three steals on 12-of-16 shooting from the field in a 110–99 win over the New Orleans Pelicans. He also became the oldest player in NBA history to put up at least 30 points and 10 assists in a playoff game. In Game 3, Paul scored 19 of his 28 points in the fourth quarter along with 14 assists to lead the Suns to a 114–111 win. In Game 6, he closed the series with 33 points along with eight assists and five rebounds on 14-of-14 shooting, which set the record for the most field goals in a game without a miss in NBA playoffs history. On May 2, in Game 1 of the Western Conference Semifinals, Paul moved past Tony Parker for fifth all-time in career playoff assists in a 121–114 win over the Dallas Mavericks. The Suns jumped to a 2–0 lead in the series before losing in seven games. Paul became the first player in NBA playoff history to lose five series in which his team led 2–0.
11,000 assists (2022–2023)[]
On October 23, 2022, Paul recorded seven points, eight rebounds and eleven assists in an 112–95 win over his former team, the Los Angeles Clippers, with whom he played for six seasons and is the franchise's career assists leader. He joined John Stockton and Jason Kidd as the only players in NBA history with 11,000 assists. Paul also became the first player in the league with 20,000 points and 11,000 assists. On October 30, Paul posted 15 assists along with 10 points and 0 turnovers in a 124–109 win over his former team, the Houston Rockets. On December 19, Paul scored a then season-high 28 points and delivered eight assists in a 130–104 win over the Los Angeles Lakers. On Christmas Day, Paul recorded 17 points, a then season-high 16 assists and 0 turnovers in a 128–125 overtime loss against the Denver Nuggets.
On January 22, 2023, Paul returned to the lineup after missing the previous seven games with a hip injury. He had 22 points, 11 assists, six rebounds and three steals to lead the Suns to an 112–110 win over the Memphis Grizzlies. On January 28, Paul scored a season-high 31 points, along with seven rebounds and 11 assists in a 128–118 overtime win over the San Antonio Spurs. On February 14, Paul posted 17 points and a season-high 19 assists in a 120–107 win over the Sacramento Kings. The next game, Paul surpassed Michael Jordan for third on the NBA all-time career steals list. On April 6, Paul scored 25 points and made a career-high seven three-pointers in a 119–115 win over the Denver Nuggets.
Golden State Warriors (2023–present)[]
On June 24, 2023, the Suns traded Paul, Landry Shamet, four first-round draft picks, and six second-round draft picks to the Washington Wizards for Bradley Beal. On July 6, the Wizards traded Paul to the Golden State Warriors in exchange for Jordan Poole, Patrick Baldwin Jr., and Ryan Rollins.
National team career[]
Chris Paul #13 of United States moves the ball against Tunisia during the Men's Basketball Preliminary Round match on Day 4 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at Basketball Arena on July 31, 2012 in London, England.
Paul made his debut for the United States national team at the 2006 FIBA World Championship in Japan. He finished the competition with a tournament-high 44 assists, helping Team USA win the bronze medal in the process. At the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, he played a key role off the bench, scoring 13 points in a gold medal game victory against Spain. In addition to the gold medal, Team USA also finished the competition with a perfect 8–0 record. Paul was promoted to the starting point guard position for the 2012 Olympics in London, averaging 8.2 points, 5.1 assists, and 1.6 steals per game en route to another gold medal and undefeated tournament.
Player profile[]
Standing 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) tall and weighing 175 pounds (79 kg), Paul exclusively plays the point guard position. His career averages are 17.9 points, 4.5 rebounds, 9.5 assists, and 2.1 steals per game. He has earned All-NBA honors 11 times (2008, 2009, 2011–2016, 2020, 2021, 2022), All-Defensive honors nine times (2008, 2009, 2011–2017), and led the NBA in steals a record six times (2008, 2009, 2011–2014) and in assists five times (2008, 2009, 2014, 2015, 2022). In 2013, he was ranked as the third-best player in the league by ESPN and Sports Illustrated. In his 2014 NBA preview, ESPN's Kevin Pelton called Paul the league's best point guard, adding, "a title he's held throughout his career when healthy." In 2022, to commemorate the NBA's 75th Anniversary The Athletic ranked their top 75 players of all time, and named Paul as the 30th greatest player in NBA history.
Paul prefers playing in the half court versus playing up-tempo. He creates scoring opportunities by constantly changing speeds; upon beating his defender one-on-one or shedding him in the pick-and-roll, he will often slow down and box him out, denying him from regaining front side position and forcing the defense to help at all times. His ability to penetrate deep into the paint leads to easy shots for his teammates, and in 2013, he was second in the league in assisted three-pointers. As a playmaker, he is noted for his consistently high assist-to-turnover ratio, averaging just 2.4 turnovers per game over his career. A deft midrange shooter, he is especially proficient from the right elbow, leading the league in shooting percentage from that area in 2015. On defense, he aggravates opponents with active hands and high effort, and has been ranked as one of the best perimeter defenders in the NBA.
Off the court[]
Paul is regularly ranked as one of the highest-paid athletes in the world by Forbes. Some of the companies that he has done business with include Nike and State Farm. For a State Farm ad campaign, he portrayed a fictional twin brother named Cliff Paul. Paul was also the cover athlete for the video game NBA 2K8.
Paul was selected president of the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) on August 21, 2013, after having served on the executive committee for four years. He was a key figure in the banning of Clippers owner Donald Sterling from the NBA following racist remarks Sterling made in 2014. In one interview, Paul mentioned a possible boycott if Sterling continued to own the team. Paul also played a significant role in the election of Michele Roberts as the Executive Director of the Players Association, giving a strong recommendation to the executive committee responsible for filling the position. On August 7, 2021, Paul's tenure as president ended when CJ McCollum was elected to the position.
Paul is part owner of The Soccer Tournament.
Personal life[]
Paul married his college sweetheart, Jada Crawley, on September 10, 2011. Together they have two children. On November 11, 2011, Paul appeared with his family on Family Feud.
In a 2008 interview, Paul revealed that he is a Christian and attends church every Sunday whenever possible. He is an avid bowler and owns a franchise in the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) League called L.A.X. He has hosted and participated in numerous celebrity and youth bowling events as the head of the CP3 Foundation, which benefits programs in Louisiana affected by Hurricane Katrina, as well as charities in Winston-Salem. In 2018, Paul purchased a minority ownership stake in the Winston-Salem Dash, a minor league baseball team located in his hometown.
Paul's brother, C.J., played college basketball at Hampton University and University of South Carolina Upstate. In 2004, they played against each other when Wake Forest had a preseason exhibition with USC-Upstate. C.J. now works as Chris's personal manager. Paul is also close friends with football player Reggie Bush; the two once lived in the One River Place complex in the New Orleans Central Business District while Bush was playing for the New Orleans Saints. They also shared a personal chef.
Paul has been a vegan since 2019 and is a brand ambassador for Beyond Meat. Paul is also in partnership with Gopuff, with the intentions to expand the latter's selection of plant-based foods and products, particularly those made and distributed by black- and brown-owned businesses.
In December 2022, Chris Paul graduated from Winston-Salem State University with his bachelor's degree in communications.
In June 2023, Chris Paul published his first memoir, titled Sixty One: Life Lessons from Papa, On and Off the Court. The book recalls Paul's childhood in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, his relationship with his grandfather Nathaniel "Papa" Jones and his family, his high school and Wake Forest University basketball careers, and stories from his professional NBA career.
Career statistics[]
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
| * | Led the league | ‡ | NBA record |
NBA[]
Regular season[]
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005–06 | New Orleans | 78 | 78 | 36.0 | .430 | .282 | .847 | 5.1 | 7.8 | 2.2 | .1 | 16.1 |
| 2006–07 | New Orleans | 64 | 64 | 36.8 | .437 | .350 | .818 | 4.4 | 8.9 | 1.8 | .0 | 17.3 |
| 2007–08 | New Orleans | 80 | 80 | 37.6 | .488 | .369 | .851 | 4.0 | 11.6* | 2.7* | .1 | 21.1 |
| 2008–09 | New Orleans | 78 | 78 | 38.5 | .503 | .364 | .868 | 5.5 | 11.0* | 2.8* | .1 | 22.8 |
| 2009–10 | New Orleans | 45 | 45 | 38.0 | .493 | .409 | .847 | 4.2 | 10.7 | 2.1 | .2 | 18.7 |
| 2010–11 | New Orleans | 80 | 80 | 36.0 | .463 | .388 | .878 | 4.1 | 9.8 | 2.4* | .1 | 15.9 |
| 2011–12 | L.A. Clippers | 60 | 60 | 36.4 | .478 | .371 | .861 | 3.6 | 9.1 | 2.5* | .1 | 19.8 |
| 2012–13 | L.A. Clippers | 70 | 70 | 33.4 | .481 | .328 | .885 | 3.7 | 9.7 | 2.4* | .1 | 16.9 |
| 2013–14 | L.A. Clippers | 62 | 62 | 35.0 | .467 | .368 | .855 | 4.3 | 10.7* | 2.5* | .1 | 19.1 |
| 2014–15 | L.A. Clippers | 82 | 82* | 34.8 | .485 | .398 | .900 | 4.6 | 10.2* | 1.9 | .2 | 19.1 |
| 2015–16 | L.A. Clippers | 74 | 74 | 32.7 | .462 | .371 | .896 | 4.2 | 10.0 | 2.1 | .2 | 19.5 |
| 2016–17 | L.A. Clippers | 61 | 61 | 31.5 | .476 | .411 | .892 | 5.0 | 9.2 | 2.0 | .1 | 18.1 |
| 2017–18 | Houston | 58 | 58 | 31.8 | .460 | .380 | .919 | 5.4 | 7.9 | 1.7 | .2 | 18.6 |
| 2018–19 | Houston | 58 | 58 | 32.0 | .419 | .358 | .862 | 4.6 | 8.2 | 2.0 | .3 | 15.6 |
| 2019–20 | Oklahoma City | 70 | 70 | 31.5 | .489 | .365 | .907 | 5.0 | 6.7 | 1.6 | .2 | 17.6 |
| 2020–21 | Phoenix | 70 | 70 | 31.4 | .499 | .395 | .934* | 4.5 | 8.9 | 1.4 | .3 | 16.4 |
| 2021–22 | Phoenix | 65 | 65 | 32.9 | .493 | .317 | .837 | 4.4 | 10.8* | 1.9 | .3 | 14.7 |
| 2022–23 | Phoenix | 59 | 59 | 32.0 | .440 | .375 | .831 | 4.3 | 8.9 | 1.5 | .4 | 13.9 |
| Career | 1,214 | 1,214 | 34.4 | .472 | .369 | .870 | 4.5 | 9.5 | 2.1 | .2 | 17.9 | |
| All-Star | 11 | 4 | 24.7 | .525 | .468 | .857 | 3.9 | 11.6‡ | 2.4 | .0 | 12.2 | |
Playoffs[]
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | New Orleans | 12 | 12 | 40.5 | .502 | .238 | .785 | 4.9 | 11.3 | 2.3 | .2 | 24.1 |
| 2009 | New Orleans | 5 | 5 | 40.2 | .411 | .313 | .857 | 4.4 | 10.4 | 1.6 | .0 | 16.6 |
| 2011 | New Orleans | 6 | 6 | 41.7 | .545 | .474 | .796 | 6.7 | 11.5 | 1.8 | .0 | 22.0 |
| 2012 | L.A. Clippers | 11 | 11 | 38.5 | .427 | .333 | .872 | 5.1 | 7.9 | 2.7 | .1 | 17.6 |
| 2013 | L.A. Clippers | 6 | 6 | 37.3 | .533 | .316 | .892 | 4.0 | 6.3 | 1.8 | .0 | 22.8 |
| 2014 | L.A. Clippers | 13 | 13 | 36.3 | .467 | .457 | .774 | 4.2 | 10.3 | 2.8 | .0 | 19.8 |
| 2015 | L.A. Clippers | 12 | 12 | 37.1 | .503 | .415 | .941 | 4.4 | 8.8 | 1.8 | .3 | 22.1 |
| 2016 | L.A. Clippers | 4 | 4 | 31.3 | .487 | .300 | 1.000 | 4.0 | 7.3 | 2.3 | .0 | 23.8 |
| 2017 | L.A. Clippers | 7 | 7 | 37.1 | .496 | .368 | .879 | 5.0 | 9.9 | 1.7 | .1 | 25.3 |
| 2018 | Houston | 15 | 15 | 34.5 | .459 | .374 | .830 | 5.9 | 5.8 | 2.0 | .3 | 21.1 |
| 2019 | Houston | 11 | 11 | 36.1 | .446 | .270 | .844 | 6.4 | 5.5 | 2.2 | .6 | 17.0 |
| 2020 | Oklahoma City | 7 | 7 | 37.3 | .491 | .372 | .885 | 7.4 | 5.3 | 1.6 | .4 | 21.3 |
| 2021 | Phoenix | 20 | 20 | 34.2 | .497 | .446 | .877 | 3.5 | 8.6 | 1.2 | .2 | 19.2 |
| 2022 | Phoenix | 13 | 13 | 34.5 | .561 | .388 | .946 | 4.2 | 8.3 | 1.5 | .2 | 17.5 |
| 2023 | Phoenix | 7 | 7 | 35.8 | .418 | .321 | .500 | 5.0 | 7.4 | 1.7 | .7 | 12.4 |
| Career | 149 | 149 | 36.5 | .484 | .373 | .854 | 4.9 | 8.3 | 1.9 | .2 | 20.0 | |
College[]
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003–04 | Wake Forest | 31 | 31 | 33.6 | .496 | .465 | .843 | 3.3 | 5.9 | 2.7 | .4 | 14.8 |
| 2004–05 | Wake Forest | 32 | 32 | 33.4 | .451 | .474 | .834 | 4.5 | 6.6 | 2.4 | .0 | 15.3 |
| Career | 63 | 63 | 33.5 | .472 | .470 | .838 | 3.9 | 6.3 | 2.5 | .2 | 15.0 | |
Filmography[]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Scooby-Doo and Guess Who? | Himself (voice) | Episode: "Revenge of the Swamp Monster" |
Awards and Honors[]
Main article: List of career achievements by Chris Paul
Paul runs the offense at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.
NBA[]
- 12× NBA All-Star: 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2020, 2021, 2022
- 10× All-NBA Team:
- First Team: 2008, 2012, 2013, 2014
- Second Team: 2009, 2015, 2016, 2020, 2021
- Third Team: 2011
- 9× NBA All-Defensive Team:
- First Team: 2009, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017
- Second Team: 2008, 2011
- NBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player Award: 2013
- NBA Rookie of the Year: 2006
- NBA All-Rookie First Team: 2006
College[]
- First team consensus All-American: 2005
- No. 3 retired by Wake Forest11.6
- 2× All-ACC Team
- All-ACC First Team: 2005
- All-ACC Third Team: 2004
- All-ACC Defensive Team: 2004
- All-ACC Freshman Team: 2004
- ACC Rookie of the Year: 2004
- All-ACC Tournament Second Team: 2004
United States national team[]
- 2× Olympic gold medalist: 2008, 2012
- FIBA World Championship bronze medalist: 2006
- USA Basketball Male Athlete of the Year: 2004
See also[]
- National Basketball Association portal
- List of National Basketball Association career assists leaders
- List of National Basketball Association career steals leaders
- List of National Basketball Association annual assists leaders
- List of National Basketball Association annual steals leaders
- List of National Basketball Association players with most assists in a game
- List of National Basketball Association players with most steals in a game
- Paul Family
- Gallery:Paul Family
- Chris and Jada Paul
References[]
External Links[]
- Christopher Paul on Twitter.com
- Christopher Paul on Instagram.com
- Christopher Paul on Facebook.com
- Christopher Paul on Diggram.com
- Christopher Paul on Digclips.com
- Christopher Paul on Digstories.com
- Christopher Paul on Diggoods.com
- Christopher Paul on Digtubes.com