Chris Paul will enter his 21st season in the NBA.
Image Credit: David Gonzales-Imagn Images
Former Los Angeles Clippers point guard Chris Paul has dropped a major update about his retirement from the NBA. The 40-year-old hinted that he might bring down curtains to his career after completing the 2025-26 season, his 21st in the league. Paul, or CP3, as he is fondly called, played for the San Antonio Spurs in the 2024-25 season, where he started in all the 82 games for the side.
Paul attended the American Black Film Festival in Miami, where he opened up on his career plans. He was asked about how much longer he plans on playing in the NBA, to which he hinted that he might hang his sneakers after the completion of the 2025-26 season. CP3 said, “At the most, a year.” He added, “I just finished my 20th season, which is a blessing in itself. I have been in the NBA for more than half of my life, which is a blessing. But these years you do not get back with your kids, with your family.”
Paul’s decision to retire drives from his desire to spend more time with his family. The 40-year-old went on to say, “My granny, who watches every single game that I play every single night, those moments, I just don’t get to see her and hug her.”
What Next For Chris Paul?
Playing alongside Victor Wembanyama and the coaching of Gregg Popovich, Paul averaged 8.8 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 7.4 assists per game in the 2024-25 season. He was shooting 42.7% from the field and 37.7% from the three-point range. The 12-time NBA All-Star entered free agency for the second consecutive season after signing a $10 million deal with the Spurs. However, now that the Spurs have a few new young acquisitions, Paul would want to seek opportunities somewhere else.
However, there are rumors that the teams are hesitant on making offers to the veteran as he wants to start for the team he plays next. Regarded as one of the best point guards in the league, the 2013 All-Star Game MVP has played 1,354 career games and maintains an average of 17.0 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 9.2 assists per game along with 1,314 starts.