After 20th season, Chris Paul would play 'at the most, a year' more in the NBA
Paul chipped in 8.8 points and 7.4 assists per game while shooting 42.7% from the field and 37.7% from 3.
Advertisement
The 12-time All-Star could keep playing into his 40s if he wants.
Paul was asked about his retirement timeline in a recent interview with Jemele Hill at the American Black Film Festival in Miami.
"I think it's fair to say that, even though you are playing at a high level, you're in the twilight of your NBA career," Hill said. "So how much longer do you intend to play?"
"At the most, a year," Paul said with a slight chuckle. "I just finished my 20th season, which is a blessing in itself. I've 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."
Advertisement
Paul continued: "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, along with all my uncles and aunts as much as I'd love to."
Paul is an unrestricted free agent for the second summer in a row. Last time around, he signed a one-year, $10 million contract with the Spurs.
He finally linked up with Hall of Fame head coach Gregg Popovich, plus he got a chance to play with the reigning NBA Rookie of the Year, 7-foot-3 center Victor Wembanyama.
A return to the playoffs felt achievable for San Antonio, which has had to watch the postseason from home since the 2019-20 season.
Advertisement
But Popovich suffered a mild stroke nine days into the season, giving way to interim-turned-full-time head coach Mitch Johnson. And Wembanyama missed the second half of the season after being diagnosed with a blood clot in his right shoulder.
Although oozing with potential — thanks to this year's NBA Rookie of the Year, Stephon Castle, and deadline acquisition De'Aaron Fox — the Spurs finished 34-48 and didn't even make the Western Conference Play-In Tournament.
Paul remained thankful for his opportunity to play for the organization, but he's expected to look elsewhere in free agency as San Antonio leans into its young and talented backcourt, which now also includes No. 2 overall pick Dylan Harper.
Advertisement
Paul told Hill at the time of the interview that he doesn't know his plan yet for next season.
He's played for seven franchises and, even though an NBA championship has escaped his résumé, he's collected a laundry list of accomplishments, including 11 All-NBA selections and nine NBA All-Defensive Team nods. Additionally, Paul has led the league in assists five times and in steals six times.
Paul started his career with the New Orleans Hornets, whom he played for from 2005-11. Then he played for the Los Angeles Clippers (2011-17), Houston Rockets (2017-19), Oklahoma City Thunder (2019-20), Phoenix Suns (2020-23), Golden State Warriors (2023-24) and San Antonio Spurs (2024).
He has averaged 17.0 points, 9.2 assists, 4.4 rebounds and 2.0 steals per game in his career.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Miami Herald
an hour ago
- Miami Herald
Trail Blazers sign former first-round G Blake Wesley
The Portland Trail Blazers signed guard Blake Wesley on Tuesday. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Wesley, 22, averaged 3.7 points and 2.0 assists in 58 games off the San Antonio Spurs' bench last season. He has averaged 4.3 points and 2.4 assists in 156 career games (four starts) since the Spurs drafted him in the first round (25th overall) in 2022. Wesley shot 36.1 percent from 3-point range in 26 games after the All-Star break last season. --Field Level Media Field Level Media 2023 - All Rights Reserved
Miami Herald
an hour ago
- Miami Herald
Free agent G Josh Okogie signs with Rockets
The Houston Rockets announced the signing of free agent guard Josh Okogie on Tuesday. The team did not announce the terms, but reports classify the deal as one year for $3.1 million, fully guaranteed. Okogie, 26, is a seven-year NBA veteran and former first-round pick by Minnesota (20th overall) in 2018. The wing played four seasons for the Timberwolves before signing with Phoenix in 2022. He played parts of three seasons with the Suns before being traded to Charlotte on Jan. 15, 2025. In 416 career games, the Lagos, Nigeria, native has averaged 6.3 points and 3.0 rebounds per game. With the Suns and Hornets last season, Okogie put up career bests in field goal percentage (44.3) and 3-point percentage (34.8). He is regarded as an excellent on-ball defender, ranking fourth in the NBA in steals per 36 minutes (2.8) in 2024-25. Okogie played for Nigeria in the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup. --Field Level Media Field Level Media 2023 - All Rights Reserved
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Michael Jordan's question to Nikos Galis after watching him dominate in 1983: "Why are you here? Why aren't you in the States?
Michael Jordan's question to Nikos Galis after watching him dominate in 1983: "Why are you here? Why aren't you in the States? originally appeared on Basketball Network. Greek basketball legend Nikos Galis recently appeared on Thanasis Antetokounmpo's podcast, a show that dives deep into hoops history. The middle Antetokounmpo brother said he, as always, did his research and therefore didn't miss Gallis' iconic 1983 clash against the University of North Carolina — and Michael Jordan. That nostalgic moment naturally became a key topic during the candid interview, with Galis sharing revealing insights — including what the future Chicago Bulls icon said to him after the game. Jordan vs. Galis On November 20, 1983, MJ and his North Carolina teammates traveled to Athens for a friendly against the Greek national team. However, what started as a team game quickly turned into a duel between the two top scorers: Jordan and Galis. At the time, 20-year-old Mike was one of the nation's top prospects, coming off his sophomore season, averaging a solid 20.0 points per game for UNC and earning First-team All-ACC honors. Meanwhile, 26-year-old Nik, already a European star with Aris Thessaloniki, had just dominated EuroBasket as the tournament's leading scorer, putting up an impressive 33.6 points per contest. Ultimately, in this aforementioned matchup, the two shooting guards showed exactly what their reputation as offensive powerhouses was all about. By the end of the game, Galis had put up 24 points, while MJ led all players with 34. "Michael was a young boy at this time. He was playing for North Carolina. But he showed signs, even at a young age, that he was going to be something special," Nikos recalled of the future six-time NBA champion and five-time and the NBA Despite the 100–83 loss to the visiting Tar Heels, Galis walked away with something unforgettable — Jordan's praise. Speaking to Greek reporters after the game, MJ famously said, "I didn't expect to see such a scorer, especially from your country." Even more meaningful than the public recognition, Mike pulled Nikos aside after the game and shared a few words that stayed with him. More than four decades later, sitting down with the Antetokounmpo brothers, Galis could still recall the moment word for word. "Why are you here? Why aren't you in the States?" Galis said Jordan asked him. From today's perspective, the question — one the six-footer had certainly heard more than once — made perfect sense. After all, in terms of pure talent, Galis was operating on a whole different level than any of his teammates — and most players in Europe, for that matter. So why didn't the now 68-year-old ever make the move to the NBA, often considered the ultimate stage for any aspiring basketball player? Galis, who was drafted by the Boston Celtics in 1979 but missed training camp due to injury and then returned to Europe, said he gave Jordan a simple answer. "I said, 'Because I love it here,'" he remarked. Sure, Nik, who was born in New Jersey and had attended both high school and college in the U.S., admitted he sometimes thought about going back. He even called it a dream to play in the NBA. But the FIBA legend approached it with realism — and in the end, staying in Greece just felt right. Maybe it wasn't such a bad call after all. As the saying goes, sometimes the grass just isn't greener on the other side. Either way, he — just like Jordan — ended up in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, an honor reserved only for the sport's crème de la crè story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jul 24, 2025, where it first appeared.
