{"id":167625,"date":"2025-11-22T14:14:29","date_gmt":"2025-11-22T19:14:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=167625"},"modified":"2025-11-22T14:14:29","modified_gmt":"2025-11-22T19:14:29","slug":"chris-paul-retirement-and-legacy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2025\/11\/22\/chris-paul-retirement-and-legacy\/","title":{"rendered":"8 Moments That Explain How Chris Paul Changed Basketball"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/p\/paulch01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Chris Paul<\/a> will play his last season in the NBA. When he eventually retires, he will close one of the most influential chapters the NBA has ever seen. Some retirements feel expected. Many fans and experts believed this would be the last season CP3 plays in the league. But with his retirement official, the league suddenly feels different. His career had everything: mastery, leadership, and longevity. He is one of the few players who has played 21 seasons in the league. With that said, let\u2019s take a look at some of his best moments.<\/p>\n<h2>8 Moments That Explain How Chris Paul Changed Basketball<\/h2>\n<p>With the official retirement of Chris Paul, we need to take a look at some of his records. He will finish his career second in assists and second in steals. He is behind <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/s\/stockjo01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">John Stockton<\/a> in both categories. Here is a fun fact: CP3 is the only player to lead the league in both assists and steals in three seasons. Stockton did it twice, but CP3 did it three times. Now let\u2019s take a look at some of his legendary moments.<\/p>\n<h3>56 Wins with the Hornets<\/h3>\n<p>In just his third season in the league, Paul completely changed the New Orleans Hornets. Before they drafted him, they won only 18 games. In his first two seasons, Paul won 38 and 39 games. But then in his third season, he led the team to 56 wins and finished second in MVP voting. The breakout season established him as one of the elite players in the league. He averaged 21.1 points on 48.8% shooting, 11.6 assists (led the league), and 2.7 steals (led the league).<\/p>\n<p>In the playoffs, CP3 and the Hornets dismantled the Dallas Mavericks 4\u20131 in the first round. In the second round, they lost in seven games to the San Antonio Spurs.<\/p>\n<h3>Legendary Game 7 vs. the Spurs in 2015<\/h3>\n<p>Speaking of CP3 against the Spurs, that story has several chapters. Now playing for the Los Angeles Clippers, they faced the defending champions in the first round. The series went back and forth, and in Game 7, CP3 played on an injured hamstring. Yet, he scored 27 points, including a last-second game-winner over <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/d\/duncati01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Tim Duncan<\/a>. Not many small point guards have been able to dominate the game like him.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Chris Paul&#039;s series-winning shot vs Spurs!! - Game 7 - Incredible!\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Zkpv8Qv_x_U?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><!--nextpage--><\/p>\n<h3>Lob City Clippers<\/h3>\n<p>Before CP3 joined the Clippers, they were a fun team, but nobody took them seriously. He completely transformed the franchise. He changed the culture to a winning one and created Lob City in the process. Here is a fun fact: the Clippers have the <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2025\/09\/18\/clippers-risk-losing-record-streak-due-to-kawhi-drama\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\">longest consecutive streak of winning seasons<\/a> in the league at 14. That streak might be in danger this season, but there is no denying the fact that CP3 changed that franchise.<\/p>\n<h3>The Point God Game to Reach the 2021 NBA Finals<\/h3>\n<p>It is a shame that CP3 has been to only one Finals in his career. But to reach that Finals in 2021, Paul delivered a masterful performance. In the closeout game against his former team, the Clippers, he scored 41 points to go with 8 assists and zero turnovers. The flawless performance sent the Suns to their first Finals since 1993.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_167640\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-167640\" style=\"width: 640px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-167640 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/11\/USATSI_16346994_168402037_lowres-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"Jun 30, 2021; Los Angeles, California, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Chris Paul (3) lifts the Western Conference champions trophy following the series victory against the Los Angeles Clippers in game six of the Western Conference Finals for the 2021 NBA Playoffs at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" srcset=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/11\/USATSI_16346994_168402037_lowres-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/11\/USATSI_16346994_168402037_lowres-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/11\/USATSI_16346994_168402037_lowres-768x511.jpg 768w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/11\/USATSI_16346994_168402037_lowres-1536x1022.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/11\/USATSI_16346994_168402037_lowres-2048x1363.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/11\/USATSI_16346994_168402037_lowres-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/11\/USATSI_16346994_168402037_lowres-1200x800.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-167640\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Jun 30, 2021; Los Angeles, California, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Chris Paul (3) lifts the Western Conference champions trophy following the series victory against the Los Angeles Clippers in game six of the Western Conference Finals for the 2021 NBA Playoffs at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><!--nextpage--><\/p>\n<h3>First Player in NBA History with 20,000 Points and 10,000 Assists<\/h3>\n<p>In the early days of the league, point guards were tasked with dishing assists to teammates. They were not scorers. For example, Stockton finished his career with 19,711 total points, though he holds the assist record that might never be broken.<\/p>\n<p>Paul changed the point guard position, becoming the first to reach 20k points and 10k assists. That milestone cemented him as one of the most complete point guards ever. For reference, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/k\/kiddja01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Jason Kidd<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/n\/nashst01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Steve Nash<\/a> didn\u2019t hit 20K points. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/w\/westbru01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Russell Westbrook<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/j\/jamesle01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">LeBron James<\/a> have also hit these marks. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/h\/hardeja01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">James Harden<\/a> needs more than 1,500 assists to get there, while <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/c\/curryst01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Steph Curry<\/a> needs more than 3,400.<\/p>\n<h3>The 2012 Gold Medal with Team USA<\/h3>\n<p>Paul played a critical role on the 2012 team, controlling the tempo and making plays for everyone. That medal solidified his place as one of the top players of his generation.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Chris Paul USA Highlights - 2012 Men&#039;s Olympic Basketball Team - London 2012\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/0v-uN5UyAo8?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><!--nextpage--><\/p>\n<h3>8 Straight Midrange Shots vs. Denver<\/h3>\n<p>We mentioned that Paul made the Finals in 2021. During that run, he had a couple of amazing games. In the Western Conference Semifinals vs. the Denver Nuggets, he delivered a masterclass in midrange shooting. In the closeout Game 4, he scored 37 points. But the most amazing part was hitting eight straight midrange jumpers.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"\u2600\ufe0f CP3 Leads Suns To Game 4 Victory! \u2600\ufe0f\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Rf7Qq5HimB0?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h3>NBPA President, 2013\u20132021<\/h3>\n<p>With Chris Paul&#8217;s retirement incoming, we have to remember one of his defining career moments. When CP3 became president of the NBPA in 2013, there was not much player movement. LeBron might have broken the ice when he joined the Miami Heat. But as president of the NBPA, Paul pushed for player mobility, health protections, and stronger bargaining power among players. He shaped the modern NBA off the court as much as he did on it.<\/p>\n<h3>The Last Word on Chris Paul Retirement<\/h3>\n<p>Chris Paul\u2019s retirement doesn\u2019t just mark the end of a career, it marks the end of a certain kind of point guard. He was the <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2025\/11\/19\/clippers-face-crossroads-after-going-2-8-in-last-10-games\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\">last true floor general<\/a>, the bridge between eras, the player who blended old-school fundamentals with modern efficiency. CP3 changed how teams run offenses, how players negotiate power, and how fans understand leadership. His impact won\u2019t be measured only in assists or steals or accolades, but in the countless players who learned how to think the game because of him.<\/p>\n<p>Legends aren\u2019t defined by rings. They\u2019re defined by influence. And Chris Paul\u2019s influence is forever.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a9 Mike Watters-Imagn Images<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Chris Paul will play his last season in the NBA. When he eventually retires, he will close one of the most influential chapters the NBA has ever seen. Some retirements feel expected. Many fans and experts believed this would be the last season CP3 plays in the league. But with his retirement official, the league [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5291,"featured_media":167638,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1608,7,2,27,62,28],"tags":[229,147,38,56],"class_list":["post-167625","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-basketball","category-hornets","category-featured","category-clippers","category-nba","category-suns","tag-chris-paul","tag-john-stockton","tag-lebron-james","tag-tim-duncan"],"modified_by":"Jordan Pagkalinawan","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/167625","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5291"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=167625"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/167625\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":167644,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/167625\/revisions\/167644"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/167638"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=167625"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=167625"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=167625"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}