The era of Chris Paul has officially ended. The 'Point God' announced his retirement from the NBA via a social media post Friday, confirming what many suspected but few wanted to accept. He was waived by the Toronto Raptors on Friday after being traded from the LA Clippers on February 4.
Paul, 40, is a 12-time All-Star, an 11-time member of All-NBA teams, a nine-time All-Defensive teams member, the 2006 Rookie of the Year, two-time Olympic gold medalist and a member of the NBA's 75th Anniversary Team. But his final season didn't go as planned. After returning to the Los Angeles Clippers this offseason, Paul announced this would be his final season in the NBA, but the team parted ways with Paul less than two months into the season amid reports of internal frustration with the veteran. The final game of Paul's career was a 140-123 loss to the Miami Heat on Dec. 1 in which he had eight points and three assists in 14 minutes.
Over his 21-year career, Paul scored 23,058 points, dished out 12,552 assists, pulled down 6,006 rebounds and created 2,728 steals in 1,370 games played. That productivity puts him all over the NBA's all-time record books, as he's second in all-time assists, second in steals, 16th in games played and 41st in points. Paul is an unquestioned first-ballot Hall of Famer.
Despite his incredible individual accomplishments, one thing eluded him throughout his entire career: an NBA championship. He never won the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy, coming closest in 2021 when his Phoenix Suns fell to the Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA Finals. That remains his only Finals appearance in 21 seasons—a reminder that even the greatest individual talents can't guarantee team success. Still, Chris Paul retires as one of the greatest point guards in NBA history and a true steward of our sport, according to NBA Commissioner Adam Silver.
Like fellow NBA stalwart Bobby Portis, who's also celebrating his place in basketball history, Paul leaves behind a legacy built on elite playmaking, competitive fire, and the kind of basketball intelligence that inspired teammates and frustrated opponents in equal measure. His impact stretched far beyond stats—it's about how he changed the way point guards approach the game.