Chris Paul has finally said it out loud.
After two decades of brilliance, leadership, heartbreak, near-misses, reinventions, and unshakeable competitive fire, one of the greatest point guards in NBA history has announced that the 2025–26 season will be his final chapter. The 40-year-old guard shared the news just hours before taking the floor against the Charlotte Hornets in his home state of North Carolina, timing it with the same sense of control that defined his entire career.
The Return to Where it Started
Returning to the Los Angeles Clippers feels poetic. This is the franchise where Paul became a cultural moment, not just a basketball star. From 2011–2017, he helped transform “Lob City” into one of the most electrifying eras the NBA had ever seen. He breathed life into a team long overshadowed by its hallway neighbor, turning Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan into nightly highlight machines while elevating the franchise’s identity. Now, nearly a decade later, he’s back for one final run, a farewell tour rooted in nostalgia and purpose.
His message on social media captured everything his career represented: gratitude, calm confidence, and a sense that unfinished business still exists. “What a ride… Still so much left… GRATEFUL for this last one!!” Chris Paul wrote a simple line from a player who has always preferred precision over volume.
Across his 21 seasons, Chris Paul changed what it meant to play point guard. Drafted fourth overall by the New Orleans Hornets in 2005, he immediately established himself as a franchise-defining presence, winning Rookie of the Year and setting the tone for two decades of elite playmaking. His pace control became a masterclass. His pick-and-roll manipulation became textbook. His mid-range jumper became a weapon opponents still struggle to solve.
Chris Paul resume is staggering. Twelve All-Star selections. Eleven All-NBA teams. Nine All-Defensive nods. Member of the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team. And a statistical profile that will sit in the record books for generations: 16.9 points, 9.2 assists, 4.4 rebounds, 2 steals per game, and elite efficiency across the board. He’s now 2nd all-time in steals, passing Jason Kidd, 2nd all-time in assists, and as of today, he has just moved past Derek Fisher for 9th all-time in wins, a perfect snapshot of how much he contributed to winning everywhere he went.
This year his numbers are modest, 2.5 points, 2 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 steal, but production was never the story for this final season. He signed with the Clippers not to chase stats, but to close the loop on a journey that has stretched from New Orleans to Los Angeles, from Houston to Oklahoma City, from Phoenix to Golden State and San Antonio, and finally back to Los Angeles once again.
Through every stop, Chris Paul built something meaningful. He lifted the Thunder to the playoffs when they weren’t supposed to be competitive. He helped take Phoenix to the 2021 Finals. He stabilized the Warriors and mentored their young guards. And he strengthened every locker room he entered.
His impact extends far beyond the court. As president of the NBPA, he helped reshape the league’s power structure. As a mentor, he influenced a generation of guards who studied his game religiously. His voice in communities, his advocacy, and his leadership will last long after this final season ends.
Now, with everyone joining the coverage on this farewell journey, the focus shifts to what this last year will mean. Every steal, every bounce pass, every mid-range pull-up will act as a reminder of how deeply he shaped the modern NBA. The Clippers are chasing a title, and Chris Paul will play whatever role necessary — starter, second-unit organizer, or calming presence in key moments, to keep that dream alive.
When the buzzer finally sounds on his last game, Chris Paul will walk away as a no-doubt, first-ballot Hall of Famer. And his influence will continue every time a young guard pauses, reads a defense, and makes the perfect play, just like Chris Paul would’ve.
