by Chris Paul, one of the most accomplished guards in NBA history, is nearing the end of his career. Paul, now 40 years old, has hinted that the 25-26 season will be his last.
Many NBA fans view Paul’s career as tainted or incomplete due to his lack of championships and overall playoff success. This mentality has led fans to compare him to individuals who, respectfully, should never be in discussions with Paul.
But what has Paul done to become this all-time great player?
One of the Greatest Passers Ever
If there is a passing stat, Paul will be near the top of it. He is second all-time in total assists, has won the assist title five times, and averages 9.2 assists per game in his career (sixth all-time). His passing was the backbone of one of the best offenses relative to the era, the 2014-15 Los Angeles Clippers.
Paul is one of the best pick-and-roll passers ever. Every big man he has ever played with has seen their offensive production improve drastically, most notably DeAndre Jordan. Last season, in Paul’s 20th year, Victor Wembanyama‘s offense became much easier with Paul on the floor with him, averaging nearly eight more points per game while sharing the court.
(Stats via databallr.com)
It is hard to overstate how much Paul’s passing improves team offenses. Other than his mind-boggling assist numbers, he also takes care of the ball like nobody else, averaging just 2.3 turnovers per game in his career. His ability to keep the ball on a string and not force turnovers is why he is such a successful offensive engine and a player who can fit onto any team.
GOAT Small Defender
There have been plenty of excellent guard defenders in NBA history who are small by NBA standards, like Gary Payton and Sidney Moncrief, who stand at 6’4″ and 6’3″, but Paul is one of the smallest players in NBA history, listed at a generous 6’0″. At that height in the NBA, you are expected to be a defensive liability. Still, Paul has defied those odds and is one of the best defensive guards ever.
Paul is a six-time Steal Champ and has been on nine All-Defense teams. His prolific basketball IQ and blazing quick hands made him rack up steals and force turnovers against anyone. There will never be another guard of Paul’s size who will make the defensive impact that he has made in his career.
Can Make Anyone a Playoff Team
Paul has a 62.9% career winning percentage, as well as making the playoffs in 15 of his 20 seasons. One of his most infamous playoff teams is the 2019-20 Oklahoma City Thunder, which had a 0.2% of making the playoffs before the season.
The OKC team was expected to be a rebuilding team, finishing at the bottom of the standings, with Chris Paul mentoring young players like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Lugentz Dort. Instead, Paul was an all-star, an All-NBA second team member, finished seventh in MVP voting, and OKC was the fifth seed.
Another prime example of Paul’s winning impact is his time with the Phoenix Suns. Before he joined them, the Suns were on a 10-year playoff drought, having under 35 wins in seven of those years. In Paul’s three seasons with Phoenix, they had a win percentage of 69.6% when he played and made the playoffs all three years, going as far as the finals in 2021.
It has been clear that wherever Paul goes, winning usually follows him.
Dominant Mid-Range Game
Paul is one of the best mid-range shooters of all time. Despite his being at a height disadvantage in nearly every matchup, he could get his shot over anyone. His extremely high release point and space created on his shot made it seem like it didn’t matter if the defender was a center or a point guard.
Throughout his career, Paul has finished in the 90th percentile in mid-range field goal percentage 12 times, being 100th percentile (the best) twice, and 80th percentile 17 times.
As for Paul’s mid-range frequency, it’s been his go-to shot throughout his career. He has been in the 90th percentile for percent of shot attempts in the mid-range 13 times, including being in the 100th percentile three years straight (2020-2022).
With his incredibly high volume and efficiency, there is no doubt that Paul will forever be one of the all-time great mid-range shooters in NBA history.
Incredible Longevity
Last season, Paul joined the exclusive 20-season club, becoming only the 11th member, and will be the seventh member of the 21-season club this season. With his 723 points last season, he had the fifth most points in a 20th season, only behind legendary scorers LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Dirk Nowitzki, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
As mentioned before, Paul accomplished a great deal with OKC and Phoenix, where he was 34 years old at the start of his OKC tenure. Even compared to the rest of the NBA, he is still a valuable player. He played 82 games last season and finished sixth in total assists. Entering his 21st season, he is still going to make a massive difference to a Los Angeles Clippers team that has championship aspirations.
His conditioning and availability to be this great this late in his career are scarce in any sport, and should never be taken for granted.
